He was bound to James, not only by the common obligations of allegiance, but by military honour, by personal gratitude, and, as appeared to superficial observers, by the strongest ties of interest.

But Churchill himself was no superficial observer.

He knew exactly what his interest really was.
If his master were once at full liberty to employ Papists, not a single Protestant would be employed.

For a time a few highly favoured servants of the crown might possibly be exempted from the general proscription in the hope that they would be induced to change their religion.

But even these would, after a short respite, fall one by one, as Rochester had already fallen.