The Embassy of Everaard van Weede 61 



light of events prior to the arrival of Dykvelt and following the 

 departure of the envoy. 284 The Bishop had been shamefully 

 dealt with by James II. He had a cause for grievance. It was 

 Avaux's constant suspicion that Dykvelt was to find a ready 

 conspirator in the evicted bishop. 285 Yet, the letter which Dyk- 

 velt carried to the Prince, and those of September 5 286 and October 

 27, 287 show a conscientious allegiance to James II. Yet a year 

 later, Compton was one of the memorable seven who sent the 

 invitation to William. 



Edward Russell, smarting under the cruel consciousness of a 

 gross injustice to his family by the King, threw himself into the 

 Shrewsbury cabal with characteristic enthusiasm. Burnet speaks 

 of him as a man of courage, of much honor, of good principles. 288 

 But the description of Macaulay is more consistent with his deeds. 289 

 He tells us that Russell was a man of courage and capacity, but 

 also that he had loose principles and a turbulent temper. He was 

 a daring, unquiet, and a vindicative seaman. This man was 

 eager to strike the blow which should bring William from the 

 Hague. He went to Holland in April, 1688, and received the 

 assurance of the Prince that the latter was willing to accept an 

 invitation if it were extended to him. 



Henry Sidney, brother of the famous Algernon, has already been 

 spoken of in connection with his relationship to Lady Sunder- 

 land. 290 He was well known in all the courts of Europe, and he 

 possessed a nature well-suited to a courtly life. He was graceful, 

 Burnet tells us, of a sweet and caressing temper, he bore no malice; 

 but the bishop reproves him for having too great a love of pleas- 



284 Dalrymple, Letter of the Bishop of London to the Prince of Orange, June 16, 

 1687, p. 199. 



285 Avaux, January 30, 1687, vol. vi, p. 36. 



286 Dalrymple, Letter of the Bishop of London to the Prince of Orange, Septem- 

 ber 5, 1687, p. 209. 



287 Ibid, Letter of the Bishop of London to the Prince of Orange, October 27, 

 1687, p. 211. 



288 Burnet, p. 485. 



289 Macaulay, vol. ii, p. 899. 



290 Supra, p. 47. 



145 



