forgetfulness of God, (it being Sunday evening,) which this day
se'nnight I was witness of, the king sitting and toying with his
concubines, Portsmouth, Cleveland, and Mazarine, etc., a French boy
singing love-songs in that glorious gallery, while about twenty of the
great courtiers, and other dissolute persons, were at basset round a
large table, a bank of at least two thousand pounds in gold before them;
upon which two gentlemen, who were with me, made reflections with
astonishment. Six days after, all was in the dust."

Rochester, in his epigram, described Charles the Second as one

Who never said a foolish thing, and never did a wise one.

But it is much easier to discover the foolish things that he did, than
the wise things that he said. He was good-natured, free from
vindictiveness, and had some appreciation of science.

The succession of James the Second to the throne was proclaimed in the
Ancient Dominion of Virginia "with extraordinary joy." The enthusiasm of
their loyalty was soon lowered, for the assembly meeting on the 1st day
of October, 1685, and warmly resisting the negative power claimed by the
governor, was prorogued on the same day to the second of November
following. Robert Beverley was again clerk. Strong resolutions,
complaining of the governor's veto, were passed. After sitting for some
time this and other bills were presented to him for his signature, which
he refused to give, and appearing suddenly in the house prorogued it
again to the 20th of October, 1686.

The Duke of Monmouth, an illegitimate son of Charles the Second, failing
in a rash insurrection, was beheaded, July the fourteenth of this year.

The first parliament of the new reign laid an impost on tobacco; the
planters, in abject terms, supplicated James to suspend the duty imposed
on their staple; but he refused to comply. They also took measures to
encourage domestic manufactures, which were disapproved of by the lords
of the committee of colonies, as contrary to the acts of navigation.
Nevertheless, on the reception of the news of the defeat of the Duke of
Monmouth, the Virginians sent a congratulatory address to the king.

A number of the prisoners taken with Monmouth, and who had escaped the
cruelty of Jeffreys, were sent to Virginia; and King James instructed
Effingham on this occasion in the following letter:[340:A]

"RIGHT TRUSTY AND WELL-BELOVED,--We greet you well. As it has
pleased God to deliver into