as resolved not to
hold the government by right of his wife; 'he would not think of holding
any thing by apron strings:' he was jealous of the friends of his wife,
and never, forgave them; and, last of all, he threatened to leave them
in the lurch, that is, to retire to Holland, with his Dutch army; so
restless, says Mulgrave in another place, is ambition, in its highest
scenes of success.

During the reign of King William however, he enjoyed some considerable
posts, and was generally pretty well in his favour, and confidence.
April 21, 1702, he was sworn Lord Privy Seal, and the same year
appointed one of the commissioners to treat of an union between England
and Scotland, and was made Lord Lieutenant, and Custos Rotulorum for the
North Riding of Yorkshire, and one of the governors of the Charterhouse.

March 9, 1703, he was created duke of Normanby, having been made marquis
of Normanby by King William, and on the 19th of the same month duke of
Buckingham. In 1711 he was made Steward of her Majesty's Houshold, and
President of the Council; and on her decease, was one of the Lords
Justices in Great Britain, 'till King George arrived from Hanover.

In 1710 the Whig ministry began to lose ground, and Mr. Harley, since
earl of Oxford, and the Lord Treasurer made the proper use of those
circumstances, yet wanting some assistance, applied to the duke of
Buckingham. The duke, who was not then on good terms with Mr. Harley, at
first slighted his proposal, but afterwards joined with him and others,
which produced a revolution in the ministry, and shook the power of
the duke and duchess of Marlborough, while Mr. Harley, the earl of
Shrewsbury, lord Bolingbroke, &c. came into the administration. The
duke was attached to Tory principles. Her Majesty offered to make him
chancellor, which he thought proper to refuse. He was out of employment
for some time, during which, he did not so much as pay his compliments
at court, 'till he married his third wife, and then went to kiss her
Majesty's hand.

The duke of Buckingham, though reckoned haughty, and ill natured, was
yet of a tender, compassionate disposition; but as the best characters
have generally some allay, he is allowed to have been very passionate;
but after his warmth subsided, he endeavoured to atone for it by acts
of kindness and beneficence to those upon whom his passion had vented
itself. Several years before his grace died, he was well known to have
expressed some con