"
This noble earl, who was chief among the royal duke's enemies,
was a prominent figure in the political history of the time. Mr.
Burnet tells us his lordship's strength lay in the knowledge of
England, and of all considerable men. "He understood," says the
bishop, "the size of their understandings and their tempers; and
he knew how to apply himself to them so dexterously, that though
by his changing sides so often it was very visible how little he
was to be depended on, yet he was to the last much trusted by all
the discontented party. He had no regard to truth or justice."
As rich in resources as he was poor in honour, he renewed a plan
for depriving the Duke of York from succession to the crown;
which, though it had failed when formerly attempted, he trusted
might now succeed. This was to declare the Duke of Monmouth the
king's legitimate son and heir to the throne of England, a scheme
which the ambitious son of Lucy Walters was eager to forward.
His majesty's affection for him had strengthened with time, and
his favours had been multiplied by years. On the death of the
Duke of Albemarle, Captain General of the Forces, Monmouth had
been appointed to that high office; and some time later had been
made General of the Kingdom of Scotland, posts of greatest
importance. Relying on the monarch's love and the people's
admiration for this illegitimate scion of royalty, Lord
Shaftesbury hoped to place him on the throne. As the first step
necessary in this direction was to gain his majesty's avowal of a
union with Lucy Walters, he ventured on broaching the subject to
the king; at which Charles was so enraged that he declared, "much
as he loved the Duke of Monmouth, he had rather see him hanged at
Tyburn than own him as his legitimate son.
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