his own; and as there is something curious in
the particular manner in which the earl of Holland's character
suffered in this quarrel, we shall upon the authority of the duchess
of Newcastle present it to the reader.

The troop which the earl of Newcastle raised was stiled the Prince's,
but his lordship commanded it as captain. When the army drew near
Berwick, he sent Sir William Carnaby to the earl of Holland, then
general of the horse, to know where his troop should march; his answer
was, next after the troops of the general officers. The earl of
Newcastle sent again to represent, that having the honour to march
with the Prince's colours, he thought it not fit to march under any of
the officers of the field; upon which the general of the horse
repeated his orders, and the earl of Newcastle ordered the Prince's
colours to be taken off the staff, and marched without any. When the
service was over, his lordship sent Mr. Francis Palmer, with a
challenge to the earl of Holland, who consented to a place, and hour
of meeting; but when the earl of Newcastle came thither, he found not
his antagonist, but his second. The business had been disclosed to the
King, by whose authority (says Clarendon) the matter was composed; but
before that time, the earl of Holland was never suspected to want
courage; and indeed he was rather a cunning, penetrating, than a brave
honest man, and was remarkably selfish in his temper.

The earl of Newcastle however found himself hard pressed by the
ministerial faction, and being unwilling to give his Majesty any
trouble about himself, he was generous enough to resign his place as
governor to the Prince, and the marquis of Hertford was appointed in
his room.

His lordship having no more business at court, and being unwilling to
expose himself further to the machinations of his enemies, thought
proper to retire to the country, where he remained quiet till he
received his Majesty's orders to revisit Hull: Tho' this order came at
twelve o'clock at night, yet such was his unshaken loyalty and
affection, that he went directly, and tho' forty miles distant, he
entered the place with only three or four servants early the next
morning. He offered to his Majesty, says Clarendon, to have secured
for him that important fortress, and all the magazines that were in
it; but instead of receiving such a command, he had instructions sent
him to obey the orders of the Parliament, who suspecting his
principles not