ing this office and entered on
its duties along with the two other Commissioners. They performed these
till the 10th March 1687, when the King relieved them with compliments
on their 'faithfull and loyal service, with many gracious expressions to
this effect', and bestowed the seal on Lord Arundel of Wardour, a
zealous Roman Catholic.

In the early days of James II's reign the patronage which seemed to be
coming in Evelyn's direction appears to have, not unnaturally perhaps,
somewhat coloured his opinion as to the new monarch's capacity and
disposition. After a journey undertaken with Pepys to Windsor,
Winchester, and Portsmouth in September 1685, whither the King went to
view the state of the fortifications, he recorded that 'what I observ'd
in this journey, is that infinite industry, sedulity, gravity, and
greate understanding and experience of affairs, in his Majesty, that I
cannot but predict much happiness to ye nation, as to its political
government; and if he so persist, there could be nothing more desir'd to
accomplish our prosperity, but that he was of the national church.'
Biassed and prejudiced in the royal favour as he then temporarily was,
this account of King James proved so totally incorrect that it is a
wonder Evelyn retained it in the compilation which he left as his
_Diary_. The only explanation seems to be that he wished to record his
prevision as regards Roman Catholicism proving the main rock upon which
the King might come to grief, as he afterwards did.

Titus Oates' conspiracy and the Duke of Monmouth's invasion and
insurrection went by without affecting Evelyn much. He was in the latter
case called upon to supply a mounted trooper, which he did rather
grudgingly. 'The two horsemen which my son and myselfe sent into the
county troopes, were now come home, after a moneth's being out to our
greate charge.' But what concerned him much more was that matters
frequently came before the Commission of the Privy Seal to which he
could not, on religious grounds principally, give his assent. On such
occasions he would sometimes go to his house in the country, 'refusing
to be present at what was to passe at the Privy Seale the next day',
because any two out of the three Commissioners formed a quorum. At other
times, however, he had to face his responsibility properly, by refusing
to put his seal to the papers in question, while noting his objections
to the course of action proposed. The Papistry which was sp