PREFACE. XI 



of them, and the like points of more general 

 concernment, which almost engrossed the at- 

 tention of the public then, and remain subjects 

 of speculation to this day, he made no other 

 mention of them than what was cursory and 

 occasional ; that is, when they had some con- 

 nexion or affinity with the special business in 

 hand, of which he was making minutes. This 

 branch of his diary, therefore, consists prin- 

 cipally of these articles; his votes in the House 

 of Peers upon all occasions ; sometimes with 

 the reasons of them assigned ; the heads of his 

 speeches there; his application to the Queen 

 and her ministers, chiefly for Church prefer- 

 ments to be given to those of the clergy he 

 judged the most worthy, and objections made 

 against them whom he took to be less deserv- 

 ing ; private petitions to the Crown, passing 

 through his hands, with her Majesty's respec- 

 tive answers to them. The whole course of 

 business that he dispatched as her almoner; 

 with relations, here and there interspersed, of 

 private discourses with her Majesty, rarely 

 political, more frequently religious. The entries 



