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another part of this affair, which gave me a ftrange fort of fufpicion. The Duke could not fail to inquire what it was, and with a feeming reluctance I explained it. That the Duke of MONMOUTH'S Own command of the horfe life-guard, was better than Colonel RUSSEL's regiment of foot, both for honour and profit; and therefore he would hardly change it thus, without fome ill defign, to which twenty four companies of foot might be more useful, than a fingle troop of horse.

THAT, difappointing of me, was not his only aim; fince he might have had that fatisfaction as well by getting the Earl of OSSORY into that regiment, without taking it himself by leaving a better post for it.

As the Duke grew warm at this, I ingag'd him more, by freely quitting my own pretenfion, if his Highnefs could find a trusty man for it, whom the Duke of MONMOUTH could have no pretence to oppofe, as he did me, on account of our quarrel; reprefenting it to be a poft of fuch confequence, that, one day, perhaps, no lefs a thing than the Crown of England might depend on

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THE Duke accepted kindly the laying down my pretenfion, and proposed some others for that command, but to no purpose: For, the King reproach'd him with oppofing a thing already fettled between Himself and his Son. Upon which almost in defpair, he tried a little with my Lord ARLINGTON, the Duke of MONMOUTH'S great Adviser at that time; freely making him understand, That if the Duke of MoN. MOUTH Would not defift of himself from preffing it any farther, he must lose his friendship, which had been fo useful to him; and confequently, pay too dear a price for what was but a trifle in comparison with it; To which, that dextrous Minifter replied something haughtily, That the Duke of MONMOUTH could not need his favour more than his Highness needed the King's, which he might hazard to Icffen, by thus crofling his inclinations for fo beloved a Son.

WITH this furprifing anfwer from a Secretary of State, the Duke grew more concern'd than ever; and at laft was driven on the only expedient now left; which, in the first place, ferv'd the Duke's intereft by se

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curing that employment in fafe hands; and, next, my own revenge, in keeping the Duke of MONMOUTH out of it. He was advised therefore to fend immediately for Colonel RUSSEL, who was very covetous, and by any means whatsoever, viz. by any money, to charm him out of his refolution to fell his command; which the King was so far from impofing on an ancient officer of fuch merit and quality, that he kindly assur'd him, no fuch change had ever been thought of, if Mr. RUSSEL himself had not ask'd the favour of felling his command, for the good of his Heir. What paffed between the Duke and RUSSEL, is not hard to gucfs; for, the latter kept his command by pretending to the King, that, when it came to the point, he could not find in his heart to quit his fervice, and defired to die in it: But upon all this matter followed fuch an animofity between thofe two Princes, as will ferve to fill our Annals with the fatal effects of it, while yet this first occasion of their breach is not like to be fo much as mentioned.

THE Turns of Court are fuch, that, after all this buftle and compofition between us about this regiment of Guards; a third per

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fon not then thought of for fuch a command, nor fo much as in the army, luckily got it from us both by the Duke of YORK's being abfent in Scotland, and RUSSEL's quitting his interest, on account of the Popish Plot; and fo renewing his defire to fell. The Duke of MONMOUTH at that time was in fuch disfavour, as to have his Government of Hull and Lord-Lieutenancy of Torkshire given to me; which, with the old Holland regiment I had before, was already more than, being fo young, I could reafonably pretend to. The King therefore, at laft, bought that command of Colonel Rus. SEL for his other Son the Duke of GRAFTON. What appears in this Story most remarkable, is the probability that in those early days the Duke of MONMOUTH had fome thoughts of what he attempted afterward; and the fufpicion of him thus accidentally infused into the Duke of YORK, was not without fome ground: Since that regiment confifted of Two thousand four hundred men, a great part of our little army, always kept together, and quartered in London, when the other few regiments were separated into all the Garrisons of England.

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THIS appear'd fufficiently at King CHARLES'S death, when it had not been impoffible for the Duke of MONMOUTH to fucceed him, if he had then flourished in Court at the head of fo confiderable a regiment.

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