Page:The house of Cecil.djvu/264

 228 THE CECILS

the Tower with those lords in February, 1677, for maintaining that the Parliament, which had been prorogued for nearly fifteen months, was in fact dissolved, and demanding that a new Parliament should be called. In June he was allowed to go to Hatfield, " his health being much impaired, and his wife being near her confinement," and at the end of July, being loth to return to the Tower, he made his submission and was discharged. 1 In January, 1679, ^ e was sworn of the Privy Council, and in August, 1680, received the Garter.

In spite of these marks of Royal favour, he continued his opposition to the King. He was a zealous opponent of the Duke of York's succes- sion, and carried his hostility to that Prince so far as to treat him on one occasion with gross incivility. On October 27th, 1679, t* 16 Duke and Duchess, with the Princess Anne, their daughter, set out from London for Scotland, intending to sleep the first night at Hatfield. Arrived there, however, they found no preparations made for their reception, and Lord Salisbury, instead of being at home to welcome his guests, sent a message from Quickswood, " to excuse his not coming to wait upon his Royal Highness, for that he had been let blood five days before." There was no food or drink in the house, except " two does upon the table, and one barrel of small beer " ; no fires were lighted, though a pile of faggots had been considerately left behind.

1 Cal. S. P. Dotn.

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