t you would take it kindly. I have made Carwell dutchess of
Portsmouth, and marryed her sister to the Earl of Pembroke. I have,
at my brother's request, sent my Lord Inchequin into Barbary, to
settle the Protestant Religion among the Moors, and an English
Interest at Tangier. I have made Crew Bishop of Durham, and, at the
first word of my Lady Portsmouth, Prideaux Bishop of Chichester. I
know not, for my part, what factious men would have; but this I am
sure of, my predecessors never did anything like this, to gain the
good will of their subjects. So much for your religion, and now for
your property. My behaviour to the Bankers is a publick instance; and
the proceedings between Mrs. Hyde and Mrs. Sutton for private ones,
are such convincing evidences, that it will be needless to say any
more to 't.

"I must now acquaint you, that, by my Lord Treasurer's advice, I have
made a considerable retrenchment upon my expenses in candles and
charcoal, and do not intend to stop there, but will, with your help,
look into the late embezzlements of my dripping-pans and
kitchen-stuff; of which, by the way, upon my conscience, neither my
Lord Treasurer nor my Lord Lauderdale are guilty. I tell you my
opinion; but if you should find them dabling in that busyness, I tell
you plainly, I leave 'em to you; for, I would have the world to know,
I am not a man to be cheated.

"My Lords and Gentlemen, I desire you to believe me as you have found
me; and I do solemnly promise you, that whatsoever you give me shall
be specially managed with the same conduct, trust, sincerity, and
prudence, that I have ever practised, since my happy
restoration."[202:1]

Mock King's Speeches have often been made, but this is the first, and I
think still the best of them all.

There was no shaking off religion from the debates of those days. A new
Oaths Bill suddenly appeared in the House of Lords, where it gave rise
to one of the greatest debates that assembly has ever witnessed,
lasting seventeen days. The bishops were baited by the peers with great
spirit, and the report of the proceedings may still be read with gusto.

Marvell, in his _Growth of Popery_, thus describes what happened:--

"While these things were upon the anvil, the 10th of November was
come for the Parliament's sitting, but that was put off till the 13th
of April 1675. And in the meantime, which fell out