Tories_, which was the name of the banditti in the wilder parts
of Ireland. So it appeared that whenever Parliament should meet, there
would be, as the saying is, a pretty kettle of fish to fry.

Parliament met at last on the twenty-first of October, the Duke of York
having set out to Scotland with a fine retinue on the day before; (which
some thought too pointed); and the King himself opened it.

With all my love for His Majesty I am forced to confess that he
presented a very poor spectacle on that occasion. Not only did he
largely yield to the popular clamour, and profess himself willing,
within reason, to befriend any measures for the repression of Popery;
but he stood at the fire afterwards in the House of Lords, for a great
while, warming his back and laughing with his friends. I was in the
gallery and saw it myself. Laughter is a very good thing, but a seemly
gravity is no less good. As might be expected of curs, they barked all
the louder when there was no one to stand up to them; and within a week,
after numerous insulting proposals made to honour that horde of lying
informers that had done so much mischief already, and of preferring such
men as Dr. Tonge to high positions in the Church, once more that
Exclusion Bill of theirs came forward.

The Commons passed it, as might be expected, since my Lord Shaftesbury
had packed that House with his own nominees.

I was in Whitehall on the night that it was debated in the Lords--four
days later--and up to ten o'clock His Majesty had not returned from the
House; for he was present at that debate--a very unusual thing with him.
I went up and down for a little while outside His Majesty's lodgings;
and about half-past ten I saw Mr. Chiffinch coming.

"His Majesty is not back yet," he said; and presently he proposed that
we should go to the House ourselves.

* * * * *

From the little gallery whither he conducted me, I had a very good view
of the House, and, yet more, of one of the strangest sights ever seen
there.

Upon the carpet that was laid by the fire, for it was a cold night,
stood His Majesty himself with a circle of friends about him. Now and
again there came up to him one of the Peers for whom he had sent; he
talked to him a few minutes; and then let him go; for he was doing
nothing else than solicit each of them for his vote.

The cry was raised presently to clear the House; and we went away; for
their Lordships were to rec