Lord Muskerry answered, I'll be free, and unreserved with you, my
lord; it was a forged commission drawn up by one Walsh, a lawyer, and
others; who having a writing to which the Great Seal was affixed, one
of the company very dextrously took off the sealed wax from the label
of that writing, and fixed it to the label of the forged commission.
Whilst this was doing another accident happened, which startled all
present; and almost disconcerted the scheme. The forged commision
being finished, while the parchment was handling and turning, in order
to put on the seal, a tame wolf which lay asleep by the fire, awakened
at the crackling of the parchment, and running to it, seized it, and
tore it to pieces, notwithstanding their haste and struggle to prevent
him; so that after all their pains, they were obliged to begin a new,
and write it all over again.'[3] Lord Orrery struck with the daring
wickedness of this action, could not help expressing himself to that
effect, while Muskerry replied merrily, it would have been impossible
to have kept the people together without this device.

'Till the death of King Charles I. we find lord Broghill warm in the
royal interest, and that he abhorred those measures which he foresaw
would distract his country; and as soon as that melancholy event
happened, he quitted his estate[4] as ruined past all hopes, and hid
himself in the privacy of a close retirement. How he came, afterwards
to alter his conduct, and join with a party he before so much
abhorred, we shall endeavour to shew.

Upon his lordship's coming from Ireland, he withdrew to Marston in
Somersetshire, where he had leisure to reflect on the ruined state of
the Kingdom[5]; and when he revolved in his mind its altered and
desperate situation, he was ashamed to think that he should remain an
idle spectator of his country's miseries, being of a different opinion
from Mr. Addison: 'That when vice prevails, and wicked men bear sway,
the post of honour is a private station.' These reflexions roused him
to action, and produced a scheme worthy of himself. He resolved to
attempt something in favour of the King; and accordingly under the
pretence of going to the Spa for his health, he determined to cross
the seas, and apply to Charles II. for a commission to raise forces in
Ireland, in order to restore his Majesty, and recover his own estate.
Having formed this resolution, he desired the earl of Warwick, who had
an interest with the prevaili