2, his lordship was
among the peers, who to honour their King and Country, waited on their
sovereign in that cold season. When they were two or three leagues off
Goree, his Majesty having by bad weather been four days at sea, was so
impatient to go on shore, that taking boat, and a thick fog rising soon
after, they were surrounded so closely with ice, as not to be able
either to make the shore, or get back to the ship; so that lying
twenty-two hours, enduring the most bitter cold, and almost despairing
of life, they could hardly stand or speak at their landing; and his
lordship was so lame, that for some time he did not recover; yet on
his return to England, he neither complained of the accident nor the
expence.

On the 2d of February 1691, at a chapter of the most noble order of the
garter, held at Kensington, his lordship was elected one of the knights
companions of this order, with his highness John-George, the fourth
elector of Saxony, and was installed at Windsor on the February
following. He was constituted four times one of the regents of the
kingdom in his Majesty's absence. About the year 1698, his health
sensibly declining, he left public business to those who more delighted
in it, and appeared only sometimes at council, to shew his respect to
the commission which he bore, for he had already tasted all the comfort
which court favour could bestow; he had been high in office, respected
by his sovereign and the idol of the people; but now when the evening
of life approached, he began to look upon such enjoyments with less
veneration, and thought proper to dedicate some of his last hours to
quiet and meditation. Being advised to go to Bath for the recovery of
his health, he there ended his life on the 29th of January 1705-6, and
was buried at Witham on the 17th of February following.

Lord Dorset was a great patron of men of letters and merit. Dr. Sprat,
bishop of Rochester, celebrated for his polite writings, appealed to him
when under a cloud, for the part he acted in the reign of King James
II. and by his lordship's interest preserved himself. To him Mr. Dryden
dedicated his translation of Juvenal, in which he is very lavish in his
lordship's praise, and expresses his gratitude for the bounty he had
experienced from him.

Mr. Prior (among others who owed their life and fortune to my lord
Dorset) makes this public acknowledgment, 'That he scarce knew what life
was, sooner than he found himself obliged to his