ed her Husband's interest, consulted those about
her, and sent Sir William Davenant, an honest man, and a witty, but in
all respects unequal to such a trust, with a letter of credit to the
King, who knew the person well enough under another character than was
likely to give him much credit upon the argument, with which he was
entrusted, although the Queen had likewise otherwise declared her
opinion to his Majesty, that he should part with the church for his
peace and security.' Sir William had, by the countenance of the French
ambassador, easy admission to the King, who heard patiently all he had
to say, and answered him in a manner, which demonstrated that he was
not pleased with the advice. When he found his Majesty unsatisfied,
and not disposed to consent to what was earnestly desired by those by
whom he had been sent, who undervalued all those scruples of
conscience, with which his Majesty was so strongly possessed, he took
upon himself the liberty of offering some reasons to the king, to
induce him to yield to what was proposed, and among other things said,
it was the opinion and advice of all his friends; his Majesty asked,
what friends? to which Davenant replied, lord Jermyn, and lord
Colepepper; the King upon this observed, that lord Jermyn did not
understand any thing of the church, and that Colepepper was of no
religion; but, says his Majesty, what is the opinion of the Chancellor
of the Exchequer? to which Davenant answered, he did not know, that he
was not there, and had deserted the Prince, and thereupon mentioned
the Queen's displeasure against the Chancellor; to which the King
said, 'The Chancellor was an honest man, and would never desert him
nor the Prince, nor the Church; and that he was sorry he was not with
his son, but that his wife was mistaken.'

Davenant then offering some reasons of his own, in which he treated
the church with indignity, his Majesty was so transported with anger,
that he gave him a sharper rebuke than he usually gave to any other
man, and forbad him again, ever to presume to come into his presence;
upon which poor Davenant was deeply affected, and returned into France
to give an account of his ill success to those who sent him.

Upon Davenant's return to Paris, he associated with a set of people,
who endeavoured to alleviate the distresses of exile by some kind of
amusement. The diversion, which Sir William chose was of the literary
sort, and having long indulged an inclination