Killegrew, and another gentleman to apply to his Majesty to have the
fine remitted, which they undertook to do; but in place of supplicating
for it, they represented Sir Charles's frolic rather in an aggravating
light, and not a farthing was abated.

After this affair, Sir Charles's mind took a more serious turn, and he
began to apply himself to the study of politics, by which he might be of
some service to his country. He was chosen, says Wood, a recruiter of
that long parliament, which began at Westminster the 8th of May 1661,
to serve for New Romney in Kent, and sat in three succeeding Parliments
since the dissolution of that.

Sir Charles, considered as an author, has great delicacy in his turns,
and Eachard observes in his dedication of Plautus's three comedies to
Sir Charles, that the easiness of his stile, the politeness of his
expressions in his Bellamira, and even those parts of it which are
purely translation, are very delightful, and engaging to the reader.

Lord Rochester, in his imitation of the 10th satire of the first book of
Horace, has the following verses in his commendation.

Sedley has that prevailing gentle art,
That can with a resistless charm impart.
The loosest wishes to the chastest heart:
Raise such a conflict, kindle such a fire,
Betwixt declining virtue and desire;
That the poor vanquish'd maid dissolves away
In dreams all night, in sighs and tears all day.

Before we give an account of our author's works, it will not be amiss to