He was uncle to Sir Charles Berkeley, afterwards Lord Palmouth, the
favourite of the Duke of York, whose foul slanders against the Duchess
have earned for him a lasting infamy.] Hyde found one for whom he had a
profound contempt, and of whose vile kinsman, Sir Charles Berkeley, he was
soon to have very odious experience. Hyde writes of the elder Berkeley,
"If he loved any one it was those whom he had known a very little while,
and who had purchased his affection at the price of much application, and
very much flattery; and if he had any friends, they were likewise those
who had known him very little." [Footnote: _Clarendon State Papers_,
vol. iii. Supp. p. lxxx.]

In the earlier part of the reign the business of Government was chiefly
transacted by a committee, nominally for the consideration of Foreign
Affairs, but really bearing a fairly close analogy to the more modern
Cabinet Council. The King and the Duke of York were constantly present at
its meetings, and the other members were the Chancellor, Ormonde,
Southampton, the Duke of Albemarle, and the Secretaries of State, Nicholas
and Morrice. Its deliberations extended far beyond the sphere of foreign
affairs, and really comprised every branch of the executive, as well as
consideration of the policy which was to be followed in Parliamentary
affairs. Hyde was unquestionably the dominant power in that Council, and
however much a careful observer might have detected the signs of coming
dissension, his influence was as yet unimpaired. It rested upon his well-
tried loyalty, his unrivalled administrative capacity, and his thorough
command of detail; and while it was cemented by the cordial friendship of
some of his colleagues, it was smoothed, for the present at least, by an
absence of marked friction with any.

We must, however, guard ourselves against a misconception which has
imposed itself upon many in forming their estimate of Hyde's new position.