by
that means grew popular in the House of Commons. He was for rougher
methods. He continued for many years dissembling his religion, and
seemed zealous for the Church of _England_: But it was chiefly on
design to hinder all propositions that tended to unite us among our
selves. He was a frugal Prince, and brought his Court into method and
magnificence: For he had 100000_l_. a year allowed him. He was made
High Admiral: And he came to understand all the concerns of the
sea very particularly. He had a very able Secretary about him, Sir
_William Coventry_; a man of great notions and eminent vertues, the
best Speaker in the House of Commons, and capable of bearing the chief
ministry, as it was once thought he was very near it. The Duke found,
all the great seamen had a deep tincture from their education: They
both hated Popery, and loved liberty: They were men of severe tempers,
and kept good discipline. But in order to the putting the fleet into
more confident hands, the Duke began a method of sending pages of
honour, and other young persons of quality, to be bred to the sea. And
these were put in command, as soon as they were capable of it, if not
sooner. This discouraged many of the old seamen, when they saw in what
a channel advancement was like to go; who upon that left the service,
and went and commanded merchantmen. By this means the vertue and
discipline of the navy is much lost. It is true, we have a breed of
many gallant men, who do distinguish themselves in action. But it is
thought, the Nation has suffered much by the vices and disorders of
those Captains, who have risen by their quality, more than by merit or
service.

76.

By BURNET.

He was a Prince that seemed made for greater things, than will be
found in the course of his Life, more particularly of his Reign: He
was esteemed in the former parts of his Life, a Man of great Courage,
as he was quite thro' it a man of great application to business: He
had no vivacity of thought, invention or expression: But he had a good
judgment, where his Religion or his Education gave him not a biass,
which it did very often: He was bred with strange Notions of the
Obedience due to Princes, and came to take up as strange ones, of the
Submission due to Priests: He was naturally a man of truth, fidelity,
and justice: But his Religion was so infused in him, and he was so
managed in it by his Priests, that the Principles which Nature had
laid in him, had little p