expressions very lately uttered at St. James's." The Duke of Buckingham,
[Footnote: George Villiers, second Duke of Buckingham, was born only a few
months before his father's assassination, in 1628, and, from his affection
to the Minister whom he had lost, Charles had his son brought up with his
own family. Curiously enough, William Aylesbury, brother-in-law of Hyde,
was at one time the tutor of the young Duke. Buckingham took part in the
war as a very young man, and was one of the leaders in the second Civil
War, in 1648. His property had before this been confiscated, but he had
secured favourable terms by an arrangement with the Parliament. This time
it was again confiscated, and he narrowly escaped death by flight to the
Continent. He was a prominent member of the exiled Court; but his open
irreligion, his flighty character, and his continual plotting as an
adherent of Prince Rupert, alienated him from the party of Hyde. His wit
and personal charms won for him many friends, but his life was one
perpetual succession of reckless schemes and bitter quarrels, in which his
Royal master was often involved. He fought at Worcester, but his arrogance
prompted him to demand the generalship of the army, and he resented the
King's refusal by boyish sulkiness. In 1658, he again returned to England,
and married the daughter of Fairfax; but this was in defiance of Cromwell,
from whose vengeance he was probably saved only by the Protector's death.
He was restored to his vast possessions after the King's return, and then
began that long and restless career of varied intrigue, which won for him,
in later days, the character of Zimri, in Dryden's Satire, and during the
next few years made him the embittered foe of Clarendon.] ever a zealot in
any design of mischief, was doing all he could, wrote Mr. Brodrick, to
spread evil tales of him, and to inspire the Royalists with the opinion
that Hyde's influence would destroy their hopes. Hyde himself was ready to
remain in exile rather than that his return should prejudice the cause of
the King. But the very malice of his enemies overshot the mark. He had
friends who knew his worth, and Ormonde and Southampton were staunchly