* * * * *

I did not go to the Duke, for I hold that, when a man has to sift
carefully between what he must say and what he must not, it is best to
do it on paper; but I went back to my lodgings and wrote to him that it
was merely for her own advantage that the Duchess had behaved so, and
because she thought that the Protestant succession was certain--her own
advantage, that is to say, mingled with a little woman's vanity. I
begged His Royal Highness therefore to go and see the Duchess, if he
thought well, and, if possible, publicly, when she held her reception,
before he went to Scotland--(for I was diplomat enough to know that the
assuming he would go to Scotland would be the best persuasion to make
him)--; and at the end I told him that I thought my arguments had
prevailed a little with Her Grace, and that though she could not at once
turn weathercock, he might take my word for it that she would not be so
forward as she had been. But I did not tell him what argument I had
chiefly used; for I hold that even to such a woman as that, a man should
keep his word.

Everything I told the Duke in that letter fell true. The Duchess began
to cool very much in the Protestant cause, though perhaps that was
helped a little by Monmouth's having fallen under the King's
displeasure: and the Duke of York went two or three times to the
Duchess' receptions; and to Scotland on the day before Parliament met.

CHAPTER VI

It was on Mr. Chiffinch's advice that I remained in London for the
present, determining however to spend Christmas at Hare Street; and
indeed I had plenty to do in making my reports to Rome on the situation.

There was a storm brewing. From all over the country came in _addresses_
to the King, as they were called, praying him to assemble Parliament,
and that, not only for defence against Popery, but against despotism as
well; and all these were nourished and inspired by my Lord Shaftesbury.
His Majesty answered this by proclaiming through the magistrates that
such addresses were contrary to the laws that left such things at the
King's discretion; and the court-party against the country-party
presently begun to send addresses beseeching His Majesty to defend that
prerogative of his fearlessly. Names began to be flung about: the
court-party called the other the party of _Whigs_, because of their whey
faces that would turn all sour; and the country-party nicknamed the
others _