1649-50.] OF THE MARQUIS OF WORCESTER. 191 



the manner in which he passed his time abroad, all alike 

 fallacious, being inconsistent with facts. It is certain 

 that his finances were equally straitened with those, not 

 only of the nobility around him, but likewise of the 

 King himself. He could have had but few, if any, oppor 

 tunities for leisurely engaging in his usual studies, 

 much less for any practical pursuits in experimental 

 natural philosophy. That he was not wholly idle, 

 however, we may well conceive ; yet it is more consis 

 tent to suppose that it was a period in his life which he 

 would most likely employ to investigate the works of 

 those writers whose labours he most affected, rather 

 than engage himself in productions which might only 

 add to the danger as well as the difficulties of his un 

 certain journey ings, surrounded as the Court was with 

 political spies. 



During the Marquis s absence on the continent, we 

 proceed to trace the progress of events at home. 



