He held indeed the highest place to which a subject could aspire.

But he imagined that he had only the show of power while others enjoyed the substance, and was not sorry to see those of whom he was jealous thwarted and annoyed.

He did not absolutely betray the prince whom he represented: but he sometimes tampered with the chiefs of the Club, and sometimes did sly in turns to those who were joined with him in the service of the Crown.
His instructions directed him to give the royal assent to laws for the mitigating or removing of numerous grievances, and particularly to a law restricting the power and reforming the constitution of the Committee of Articles, and to a law establishing the Presbyterian Church Government, [351] But it mattered not what his instructions were.

The chiefs of the Club were bent on finding a cause of quarrel.

The propositions of the Government touching the Lords of the Articles were contemptuously rejected.