y against the Bishopps, whom he hates
to the death, and publicly rails against them; not that he is become a
Catholique, but merely opposes the Bishopps; and yet, for aught I hear,
the Bishopp of London keeps as great with the King as ever) is got into
favour, so much that, being a man of great business and yet of pleasure,
and drolling too, he, it is thought, will be made Lord Treasurer upon
the death or removal of the good old man. My Lord Albemarle, I hear,
do bear through and bustle among them, and will not be removed from the
King's good opinion and favour, though none of the Cabinett; but yet
he is envied enough. It is made very doubtful whether the King do not
intend the making of the Duke of Monmouth legitimate;

[Thomas Ross, Monmouth's tutor, put the idea into his head that
Charles II. had married his mother. The report was sedulously
spread abroad, and obtained some kind of credence, until, in June,
1678, the king set the matter at rest by publishing a declaration,
which was entered in the Council book and registered in Chancery.
The words of the declaration are: "That to avoid any dispute which
might happen in time to come concerning the succession of the Crown,
he (Charles) did declare, in the presence of Almighty God, that he
never gave, nor made any contract of marriage, nor was married to
Mrs. Barlow, alias Waters, the Duke of Monmouth's mother, nor to any
other woman whatsoever, but to his present wife, Queen Catherine,
then living."]

but surely the Commons of England will never do it, nor the Duke of
York suffer it, whose lady, I am told, is very troublesome to him by
her jealousy. But it is wonderful that Sir Charles Barkeley should be so
great still, not [only] with the King, but Duke also; who did so stiffly
swear that he had lain with her.

[The conspiracy of Sir Charles Berkeley, Lord Arran, Jermyn, Talbot,
and Killigrew to traduce Anne Hyde was peculiarly disgraceful, and
the conduct of all the actors in the affair of the marriage, from
Lord Clarendon downwards, was far from creditable (see Lister's
"Life of Clarendon," ii. 68-79)]

And another one Armour that he rode before her on horseback in Holland I
think.... No care is observed to be taken of the main chance, either
for maintaining of trade or opposing of factions, which, God knows, are
ready to break out, if any of them (which God forbid!) should dare