T

H E first time that my favour with. the princess ANNE of Denmark became an object of public attention, was upon the quarrel between her fifter queen MARY, and her, which happen'd a few years after the Revolution. Here therefore your lordship might naturally expect that I fhould begin my relation: But as I have been blamed for fome memorable parts of the PRINCESS'S conduct before that quarrel, it will be neceffary to my prefent purpose to go back a little farther; and, perhaps, it may not be improper to say something even of the birth and firft growth of that favour, which has given occafion to all the calumnies with which I have been afperfed.

The beginning of the PRINCESS's kindnefs for me had a much earlier date than

my,

entrance into her fervice. My promotion to this honour was wholly owing to impreffions she had before received to my advantage; we had used to play together when fhe was a child, and fhe even then expreffed a particular fondness for me.

I

This in

clination

clination encreased with our years. I was often at court, and the PRINCESSs always distinguished me by the pleasure fhe took to honour me, preferably to others, with her converfation and confidence. In all her parties for amusement, I was fure, by her choice, to be one; and fo defirous fhe became of having me always near her, that, upon her marriage with the PRINCE of Denmark in 1683, it was, at her own earnest request to her father, I was made one of the ladies of her bed-chamber.

What conduced to render me the more agreeable to her in this station was, doubtlefs, the diflike fhe had conceived to moft of the other perfons about her; and parti cularly to her first lady of the bed-chamber, the countess of CLARENDON; a lady whose difcourfe and manner (though the PRINCESS thought they agreed very well together) could not poffibly recommend her to fo young a mistress: For fhe looked like a mad-woman, and talked like a fcholar. Indeed her HIGHNESS's court was throughout fo oddly compofed, that I think it would

would be making myself no great compli ment, if I should fay, her chufing to spend more of her time with me, than with any of her other fervants, did no difcredit to her tafte. Be that as it will, it is certain the at length distinguished me by fo high a place in her favour, as perhaps no person ever arrived at a higher with queen or princefs. And, if from hence I may draw any glory, it is, that I both obtained and held this place without the affiftance of flattery; a charm, which in truth her inclination for me, together with my unwearied application to serve and amuse her, rendered needlefs; but which, had it been otherwise, my temper and turn of mind would never have fuffered me to employ.

Young as I was, when I first became this high favourite, I laid it down for a maxim, that flattery was falfhood to my trust, and ingratitude to my greatest friend; and that I did not deferve fo much favour, if I could not venture the lofs of it by fpeaking the truth, and by preferring the real interest of my mistress before the pleafing her fancy, or

the

the facrificing to her paffion. From this rule I never fwerved. And though my temper and my notions in most things were: widely different from thofe of the PRINCESS, yet during a long courfe of years, she was so far from being displeased with me for openly speaking my fentiments, that the fometimes profeffed a defire, and even added. her command, that it should be always continued, promifing never to be offended at it, but to love me the better for my franknefs.

Favour with a princefs upon these terms engaged me to her in the manner that it ought; I mean, by a fentiment which I chufe to call honour, rather than gratitude or duty, because while it implies all the juftice and affection of thefe, it seems to exprefs a more difinterefted principle of action. For I can truly affirm, that I never confidered myself on any occafion where her intereft or glory was concerned, nor had I any idea of a mifery which I would not have fooner incurred, than the inward fhame of being conscious of a failure in this respect. The facts themselves, which I am going to relate,

relate, will in a great degree evince the truth of what I fay; and that the PRINCESS was perfectly perfuaded of it, is, I think, fufficiently manifeft both from her letters to me, and from that unreserved intimacy of friendship, in which we for many years lived together.

Kings and princes, for the most part, imagine they have a dignity peculiar to their birth and station, which ought to raise them above all connexion of friendship with an inferior. Their paffion is to be admired and feared, to have fubjects awfully obedient, and fervants blindly obfequious to their pleasure. Friendship is an offenfive word; it imports a kind of equality between the parties; it fuggefts nothing to the mind of crowns or thrones, high titles, or immenfe revenues, fountains of honour, or fountains of riches; prerogatives which the poffeffors would have always uppermost in the thoughts of those who are permitted to approach them.

The PRINCESS had a different tafte. A friend was what the most coveted; and for

the