CHARLES II.

365

affable, best bred man alive. He treated his subjectslike noblemen, like gentlemen , like freemen ; notlike vassals or boors. His professions were plausible,bis whole behaviour engaging ; so that he wonupon the hearts , even while he lost the goodopinion of his subjects, and often balanced theirjudgment of things by their personal inclination 5 .In his public conduct likewise, though he hadsometimes embraced measures dangerous to theliberty and religion of his people, he had neverbeen found to persevere obstinately in them, buthad always returned into that path, which theirunited opinion seemed to point out to him. Andupon the whole, it appeared to many cruel andeven iniquitous, to remark too rigorously thefailings of a prince , who discovered so muchfacility in correcting his errors, and so muchlenity in pardoning the offences committed againsthimself.

The general affection, borne the king, ap-peared signally about this time. He fell sick atWindsor; and had two or three fits of a fever,so violent as made his life be thought in danger.A general consternation seized all ranks of men,increased by the apprehensions entertained of hissuccessor. In the present disposition of men’sminds, the king’s death , to use an expression ofsir William Temple 4 , was regarded as the end ofthe world. The malecontents, it was feared,would proceed to extremities, and immediately

5 Dissertation on parties, letter vii.

4 Vol. 1. p. 342.

h a r.Lxvni.1579.