234: LIFE, TIMES, AND SCIENTIFIC LABOURS [1660. 



CHAPTER XV. 



HIS PEOSPECTS AT THE PERIOD OF THE RESTORATION- 

 PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT RESPECTING THE PATENT 



TO CREATE HIM DUKE OF SOMERSET RECOVERY OF 



ESTATES, ETC. PARLIAMENTARY DUTIES. 



CHARLES the Second was only thirty years of age when 

 he ascended the throne, the Marquis was verging on 

 sixty. Charles, gay, lively, accomplished, and fascinating 

 in his manners, well knew from bitter experience the 

 pain of leading a courtly life on straitened means; 

 and the Marquis had been too closely associated with 

 him on the continent, not to be aware of his exact posi 

 tion then, and his now brilliant change of circumstances. 

 The Marquis of Worcester too, was one of those happily 

 constituted men who do not grow misanthropic on every 

 fresh instance of the world s ingratitude. His own 

 nobleness and goodness of heart found a thousand 

 excuses for the cold, callous, calculating society around 

 him ; and with his enlarged views, and greatness and 

 purity of mind, he never despaired that the day would 

 arrive, when he should be able to move at least in ease, if 

 not in plenty. As regarded his Majesty, he enjoyed 

 the fullest confidence in his behaving towards him with 

 more than ordinary consideration 5 he might not be 

 able to be magnificent, but at the very least he dared 

 not to doubt that the word of the King would be rea 

 lized, who had written to inform him* &quot; I am truly 

 sensible of your great merit and sufferings in the ser- 



See page 1 90. 



