and in their aims, and unassailed as yet by the coarse profligacy, the
vulgar buffoonery, and the ignoble selfishness that were soon to become
dominant in Charles's Court. Such were Ormonde, now Lord Steward, whose
loyalty was as untarnished as his position was above the assaults of
slander and envy, and whose unbroken friendship was a powerful buttress to
Hyde, and warded off the slights to which his own more humble birth might
have subjected him. Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, represented the very
best type of courtier of an older generation, and his acceptance of the
post of Lord High Treasurer gave security that the full tide of
corruption, which bid fair to spread its taint over the Court, should find
some check so far as the financial administration was concerned. In even
closer relation to Hyde's official sphere was Sir Edward Nicholas, the
Principal Secretary of State, between whom and Hyde there was the sacred
tie of common service and common veneration for the late King. Nicholas
was no brilliant statesman, and had no ambitious schemes to serve. But
amongst those who played an active, albeit unselfish, part in the varied
field of administrative work from the days of Strafford downwards, there
was none more industrious, none more loyal, and none less selfish than he.
It was all to his credit that he was unlikely to consort on easy terms
with the motley crew that now thronged the Court.

Hyde saw, without any displeasure, the Earl of Manchester [Footnote:
Edward Montague, second Earl of Manchester, who succeeded to the title on
the death of his father, in 1642, very early joined the Puritan, and
afterwards the Presbyterian party. He was one of the leading Parliamentary
generals until the Self-Denying Ordinance deprived him of command. He was
a man much beloved, and with marvellous suavity of manner. But to this
there was not added any marked ability, or any firmness of will. He had
long ceased to be in sympathy with the leaders of the Commonwealth, and
rendered powerful assistance in the Restoration. "By his extraordinary