forget every thing past, except his behavior during the bill
of exclusion. On other occasions, however, James appeared not of so
forgiving a temper. When the principal exclusionists came to pay their
respects to the new sovereign, they either were not admitted, or were
received very coldly, sometimes even with frowns. This conduct might
suit the character which the king so much affected, of sincerity; but
by showing that a king of England could resent the quarrels of a duke
of York, he gave his people no high idea either of his lenity or
magnanimity.

On all occasions, the king was open in declaring, that men must now look
for a more active and more vigilant government, and that he would
retain no ministers who did not practise an unreserved obedience to
his commands. We are not indeed to look for the springs of his
administration so much in his council and chief officers of state, as
in his own temper, and in the character of those persons with whom he
secretly consulted. The queen had great influence over him; a woman of
spirit, whose conduct had been popular till she arrived at that high
dignity. She was much governed by the priests especially the Jesuits;
and as these were also the King's favorites, all public measures were
taken originally from the suggestions of these men, and bore evident
marks of their ignorance in government, and of the violence of their
religious zeal.

The king, however, had another attachment, seemingly not very consistent
with this devoted regard to his queen and to his priests: it was to
Mrs. Sedley, whom he soon after created countess of Dorchester, and
who expected to govern him with the same authority which the duchess
of Portsmouth had possessed during the former reign. But James, who had
entertained the ambition of converting his people, was told, that
the regularity of his life ought to correspond to the sanctity of his
intentions; and he was prevailed with to remove Mrs. Sedley from
court; a resolution in which he had not the courage to persevere. Good
agreement between the mistress and the confessor of princes is not
commonly a difficult matter to compass: but in the present case, these
two potent engines of command were found very incompatible. Mrs. Sedley,
who possessed all the wit and ingenuity of her father, Sir Charles made
the priests and their counsels the perpetual objects cf her raillery;
and it is not to be doubted but they, on their part, redoubled their
exhortations w