And for all those loyal, self-denying labours
in exile on the Stuart behalf, all the reward he had at the time
was that James Stuart, Duke of York, debauched his daughter.
Nor did Hyde's labours cease when he had made possible the
Restoration; it was Hyde who, when that Restoration was
accomplished, took in hand and carried out the difficult task of
welding together the old and the new conditions of political
affairs. And it was Hyde who was the scapegoat when things did
not run the course that Englishmen desired. As the head of the
administration he was held responsible even for those acts which
he had strongly but vainly reprobated in Council. It was Hyde who
was blamed when Charles sold Dunkirk to the French, and spent the
money in harlotry; it was Hyde who was blamed because the Queen
was childless.
The reason for this last lay in the fact that the wrong done to
Hyde's daughter Anne had now been righted by marri age with the
Duke of York. Now the Duke of York was the heir-apparent, and the
people, ever ready to attach most credit to that which is most
incredible and fantastic, believed that to ensure the succession
of his own grandchildren Hyde had deliberately provided Charles
with a barren wife.
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