t harmonious administration that I have seen since the
glorious Revolution."
The King's brow grew somewhat dark at the name of Lord Wharton; and
the Earl of Sunbury making a sign to the Lord Keeper to avoid that
topic, took his leave of the King, saying, "I think I have your
majesty's permission to retire through your private apartments."
As he was opening a door, a little to the King's right hand, however,
he was met by the Earl of Portland, who greeted him with a
well-pleased smile, and then passed on towards the King, of whom Lord
Somers was taking leave at the same moment.
"May it please your majesty," said the Earl of Portland, as soon as
the Lords Sunbury and Somers had departed, "the young gentleman whom
you were once pleased to see concerning the Duke of Berwick's coming
to England, is now here, together with another gentleman calling
himself Green, whom your majesty also, I understand--"
"Yes, yes," said the King, "I will see him. I promised to see him."
"You told me also, sire," replied Lord Portland, "if ever this other
gentleman applied, you would also see him. Mr. Wilton Brown, I
mean."
"I will see him too," said the King. "I will see them together. Let
them be called, Bentinck."
Lord Portland went to the door, and gave the necessary orders, and in
a moment or two after, Wilton and his companion stood in the presence
of the King.
As they entered, Lord Albemarle said a few words to William, in a low
tone, to which William replied, "No, no, I will tell you if it be
necessary.--Now, gentlemen," he said, "I understood, from the note
received this morning by my Lord of Albemarle, that you requested an
audience together, which as I had promised to each separately, I have
given. Is your business the same or different?"
"It is the same, sire," replied Green at once. "But I will beg this
young gentleman to urge what he has to say in the first place."
The King nodded his head to Wilton to proceed; adding, "I have little
time this morning, and you may be brief; for if your business be what
I think, it has been opened to me by a friend of yours, and you will
hear more from me or him on Tuesday."
"If your majesty refers to the Duke of Shrewsbury," said Wilton, "I
have not the honour of his acquaintance; but he promised, I know, to
urge upon your majesty's clemency the case of the Duke of Gaveston,
in regard to which I have now ventured to approach you."
"We are mistaking each other," said the King. "I thought you meant
something else. What ab