ng in
either House of Parliament, but "of coming within five miles of the
court." This unjust bill, to which, if it passed both houses, Charles
dared not refuse assent, threw the court and country into a state of
renewed excitement. Knowing it was a blow levelled at the duke, his
friends gathered round him, determined to oppose it by might and main;
and after great exertions caused a clause to be inserted excepting his
royal highness from the test. This was ultimately carried by a majority
of two votes, which, says Clarke, "put the little Earl of Shaftesbury
so out of humour, that he said he did not care what became of the bill,
having that proviso in it."

This noble earl, who was chief among the royal duke's enemies, was a
prominent figure in the political history of the time. Mr. Burnet tells
us his lordship's strength lay in the knowledge of England, and of all
considerable men. "He understood," says the bishop, "the size of their
understandings and their tempers; and he knew how to apply himself to
them so dexterously, that though by his changing sides so often it was
very visible how little he was to be depended on, yet he was to the last
much trusted by all the discontented party. He had no regard to truth
or justice." As rich in resources as he was poor in honour, he renewed a
plan for depriving the Duke of York from succession to the crown; which,
though it had failed when formerly attempted, he trusted might now
succeed. This was to declare the Duke of Monmouth the king's legitimate
son and heir to the throne of England, a scheme which the ambitious son
of Lucy Walters was eager to forward.

His majesty's affection for him had strengthened with time, and his
favours had been multiplied by years. On the death of the Duke of
Albemarle, Captain General of the Forces, Monmouth had been appointed
to that high office; and some time later had been made General of
the Kingdom of Scotland, posts of greatest importance. Relying on the
monarch's love and the people's admiration for this illegitimate scion
of royalty, Lord Shaftesbury hoped to place him on the throne. As the
first step necessary in this direction was to gain his majesty's avowal
of a union with Lucy Walters, he ventured on broaching the subject to
the king; at which Charles was so enraged that he declared, "much as he
loved the Duke of Monmouth, he had rather see him hanged at Tyburn than
own him as his legitimate son." There was, however, another man en