The Embassy of Everaard van Weede 57 



Admiral Herbert was also present in the councils with Dykvelt. 

 The story of his interview with King James and his consequent 

 dismissal is a vivid one. At the time of the "closetings," Admiral 

 Herbert was secreted with James and was asked the usual ques- 

 tion regarding his attitude to the repeal of the Test Act. 264 Her- 

 bert answered that his honor and his conscience would not permit 

 him to make any pledge. James replied heatedly, "Nobody 

 doubts your honor; but a man who lives as you do ought not to 

 talk about conscience." Herbert was aroused. "I have my faults," 

 he retorted, "but I could name people who speak much more of 

 their conscience than I do and who live a life quite as dissolute as 

 mine." The result was that Herbert was deprived of his office 

 and became an enthusiastic supporter of the Prince and the Revol- 

 utionary movements. When the Prince came to England over a 

 year later, Herbert was put in command of the combined Dutch 

 and English fleet. 265 



Charles Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, was a convert to Protestant- 

 ism at the time of the Papist plot. 266 His genial personality and his 

 sound common sense made him many friends. He was the "only 

 man of whom both Whigs and Tories spoke well." 267 Burnet 

 says that the Prince was never so fond of any of his minis- 

 ters as he was of Shrewsbury, 268 and the correspondence of 

 William to Shrewsbury, long after he ascended the throne, shows 

 the same desire to exalt him. 269 The letter of Shrewsbury to the 

 Prince at the time of Dykvelt's departure has all the flourishes of 

 the time, but it is nevertheless sincere in its style. 270 During 



264 Burnet, p. 428. This story is also given by Macaulay, vol. ii, p. 861, and 

 by De Grovestins, vol. v, p. 347 f. 

 255 Ibid, p. 492 ff. 



266 Ibid, p. 484. 



267 Ibid, p. 485, note summing up the memoir in Coxe's Shrewsbury Corre- 

 spondence. 



268 Ibid, p. 484. 



269 For the extremely interesting correspondence between William and Shrews- 

 bury, and especially William's constant urging of Shrewsbury to accept high polit- 

 ical offices, read Archbishop Coxe's Shrewsbury Correspondence. 



270 Dalrymple, Letter of Lord Shrewsbury to the Prince of Orange, May 30, 

 1687, p. 197 f. 



141 



