At this time the kingdom stood in uttermost danger, being brought
to that condition by his majesty's negligence towards its
concerns. The peril was, moreover, heightened from the fact of
the king being impatient to rid himself of those who had the
nation's credit at heart, and sought to uphold its interests. To
this end he was led in part by his own inclinations, and
furthermore by his friends' solicitations. Foremost amongst
those with whose services he was anxious to dispense, were the
chancellor, my Lord Clarendon, and the lord lieutenant of
Ireland, his grace the Duke of Ormond.
The king's displeasure against these men, who had served his
father loyally, himself faithfully, and their country honestly,
was instigated through hatred borne them by my Lady Castlemaine.
From the first both had bewailed the monarch's connection with
her, and the evil influence she exercised over him. Accordingly,
after the pattern of honest men, they had set their faces
against her.
Not only, as has already been stated, would the chancellor refuse
to let any document bearing her name pass the great seal, but he
had often prevailed with the king to alter resolutions she had
persuaded him to form. And moreover had his lordship sinned in
her eyes by forbidding his wife to visit or hold intercourse with
her. These were sufficient reasons to arouse the hatred and
procure the revenge of this malicious woman, who was now
virtually at the head of the kingdom.
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