interruption to the mirth of any other man; but the alteration was
scarce to be perceived in him.

This was a Bill of Indictment preferred against Philip duke of
Wharton, for high treason. The fact laid to his charge was, appearing
in arms before, and firing off cannon against, his Majesty's town of
Gibraltar. Here we cannot omit an anecdote, from which the reader
may draw what conclusion he pleases. During the time the proceedings
against the duke were at a stand in the long vacation, a gentleman
of character, intimately acquainted with the duke, and also with his
affairs in England; one who enjoyed the sunshine of court favour, and
was a Member of Parliament, went over to Rouen to visit his grace, in
company with another gentleman. These two visitants took a great deal
of pains to persuade him to submit to the government, and return to
his estate, which they assured him he might do, by writing a letter to
the King, or the ministry. This alone, without any other pretensions
to favour, was to re-establish him, and leave him the free enjoyment
of his estate, which, notwithstanding all the reductions, would
even then have yielded 6000 l. a year. This point they sollicited
incessantly, and their words of honour were given, to remove all
scruples his grace might have about the performance of the conditions.
Their interpositions were however in vain; he refused to submit to the
ministry, or write to the King, and thought it beneath him to ask a
favour.

This conduct of the duke may be imputed, by some, to pride and
obstinacy, but a more natural construction is, that he was afraid of
treachery. He could not discover upon what motives, two persons whom
he looked upon as creatures of the court, would give themselves the
trouble to come to Rouen, in order to persuade him to act for his