1660-1.] OF THE MARQUIS OF WORCESTER. 229 



pose had I power to treat with the Pope and Catholic 

 Princes, with particular advantages promised to 

 Catholics, for the quiet enjoying their religion, without 

 the penalties which the statutes in force had power to 

 inflict upon them. And my instructions for this pur 

 pose, and my powers to conclude and treat thereupon, 

 were signed by the King under his pocket signet, with 

 blanks for me to put in the names of Pope or Princes, 

 to the end the King might have a starting hole to deny 

 the having given me such commissions, if excepted 

 against by his own subjects ; leaving me as it were at 

 stake, who for his Majesty s sake was willing to undergo 

 it, trusting to his word alone. 



u In like manner did I not stick upon having this 

 Commission inrolled or assented unto by his Council, 

 nor indeed the seal to be put upon it in an ordinary 

 manner, but as Mr. Endymion Porter* and I could 

 perform it, with rollers and no screw-press. 



t: One thing I beseech your Lordship to observe, that 

 though I had power by it to erect a mint any where, 

 and to dispose of his Majesty s revenues and delinquents 

 estates, yet I never did either to the value of a farthing, 

 notwithstanding my own necessities, acknowledging 

 that the intention of those powers given me, was to 

 make use of them when the armies should be afoot ; 

 which design being broken by my commitment in 

 Ireland, I made no use of those powers ; and conse 

 quently, repaying now whatever was disbursed by 

 any for patents of honour, as now I am contented to 

 do, it will evidently appear that nothing hath stuck to 

 my fingers, in order to benefit or self-interest ; which I 

 humbly submit to his Majesty s princely consideration, 

 and the management of my concerns therein to your 

 Lordship s grave judgment, and to the care of me, 



* One of the King s attendants, who had formerly accompanied him to Spain. 

 Clayton s Charles II. Vol. i. p. 136. 1859. 



