England under Charles II. from the Restoration to the Treaty of Nimeguen, 1660-1678: English History from Contemporary Writers
Taylor, W. F.
1889
Further particulars of Clarendon's disgrace. Character of Buckingham.
Reresby : Memoirs, ed. , p. 14. June 1, . | |
My lord Southampton, Lord High Treasurer of England, being lately dead, the administration of that great office was transacted by four commissioners: the duke of Albemarle, lord Ashley Cooper (afterwards earl of Shaftesbury), Sir William Coventry (secretary to the duke of York), and Sir John Duncomb. It was now that the Parliament fell upon the great earl of Clarendon, who, having surrendered the seals a few months afterwards, as much as possible to avoid the heat of his enemies, retired privately into France. His greatest enemy in the House of Lords was the duke of Buckingham; in the House of Commons, Sir Thomas Osborne. since earl of Danby; by this step, and by the help of his grace the duke of Buckingham, who was now absolute favourite, it was that Sir Thomas more especially rose to the height of his dignity. | |
The duke of Buckingham now acted as Prime Minister. The king consulted him chiefly in all concerns of moment; the foreign ministers were to apply to him before they could be admitted to an audience. But he was such a foe to business, such a friend to pleasure, and so apt to turn the day into night and the night into day, that he could neither attend regularly on the king, nor dispatch business, as it ought to be, with those who had anything to negotiate with him ; so his ministry proved of no long duration. | |