158 LIFE, TIMES, AND SCIENTIFIC LABOURS [164G-7. 



strategy was perfectly consistent with the possession of 

 the most distinguished domestic affections and habits, 

 and tastes most refined for art and literature, which, 

 after all, may have been but the consummation of that 

 all-grasping selfishness which shows but little integrity 

 beyond the confines of self and home. His Majesty 

 united so many inconsistencies of character that he com 

 pletely deluded not the Earl alone but the entire Eoman 

 Catholic party throughout the land. He had succeeded 

 in draining the Marquis of Worcester of his enormous 

 wealth, and had not blushed to degrade his son, the 

 Earl, by a public accusation (which his private conduct 

 repudiated) to give colour to his own sophisms. 



A letter written by the Earl to the Nuncio, in Feb 

 ruary, together with the oath he afterwards took, are 

 not a little remarkable. 13 



U MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND MOST REVEREND LORD, 



&quot; There is no occasion for me to employ any 

 further protestations to persuade your Lordship, how 

 sincerely I desire that the whole glory of the advan 

 tages, which this nation and we poor Catholics of Eng 

 land may attain, should, as it ought, be ascribed to his 

 Holiness, through your Lordship s intervention; whom 

 I beseech to consider the authority granted your Lord 

 ship by his Holiness, and to recall to your memory the 

 letter written by the King my master to your Lordship, 

 and my powers for treating with your Lordship. 

 These things being laid down as a foundation, let us 

 not sleep over our cause, but finish all the conven 

 tions made or to be made between his Holiness and our 

 Queen (though without suffering them to be published), 

 till your Lordship shall have received the original 

 instruments themselves, or till an answer shall be re- 



13 Birch, p. 175. 



