to the companion of her early years. At length the
Princess became impatient of the restraint which etiquette imposed on
her. She could not bear to hear the words Madam and Royal Highness
from the lips of one who was more to her than a sister. Such words
were indeed necessary in the gallery or the drawingroom; but they were
disused in the closet. Anne was Mrs. Morley: Lady Churchill was Mrs.
Freeman; and under these childish names was carried on during twenty
years a correspondence on which at last the fate of administrations and
dynasties depended. But as yet Anne had no political power and little
patronage. Her friend attended her as first Lady of the Bedchamber, with
a salary of only four hundred pounds a year. There is reason, however,
to believe that, even at this time, Churchill was able to gratify his
ruling passion by means of his wife's influence. The Princess, though
her income was large and her tastes simple, contracted debts which her
father, not without some murmurs, discharged; and it was rumoured
that her embarrassments had been caused by her prodigal bounty to her
favourite. [272]

At length the time had arrived when this singular friendship was to
exercise a great influence on public affairs. What part Anne would take
in the contest which distracted England was matter of deep anxiety.
Filial duty was on one side. The interests of the religion to which she
was sincerely attached were on the other. A less inert nature might
well have remained long in suspense when drawn in opposite directions
by motives so strong and so respectable. But the influence of the
Churchills decided the question; and their patroness became an important
member of that extensive league of which the Prince of Orange was the
head.

In June 1687 Dykvelt returned to the Hague. He presented to the States
General a royal epistle filled with eulogies of his conduct during his
residence in London. These eulogies however were merely formal. James,
in private communications written with his own hand, bitterly complained
that the Envoy had lived in close intimacy with the most factious men in
the realm, and had encouraged them in all their evil purposes. Dykvelt
carried with him also a packet of letters from the most eminent of
those with whom he had conferred during his stay in England. The writers
generally expressed unbounded reverence and affection for William, and
referred him to the bearer for fuller information as to their views.
Ha