Page:Diary of the times of Charles II Vol. I.djvu/28

xvi kind to him and no more." It is a fact, however, that, besides being the occasion of much public scandal, it led to important results; for the Duke of York, whether really jealous, or pretending to be so, threw off all the restraints and appearances of decency in his own intrigues; and the Duchess, finding that she had lost all hold on the affections of her husband, sought to recover it by adapting herself to his views in matters of religion. She entered into private discourse with his priest, and soon declared herself a Roman Catholic.

Ten years after this, the first Duchess of York having died in the interval, Sidney appears again at Court, having obtained from the King a grant, during his life, of the office of Gentleman and Master of the Robes. In 1678 he had the command