He expressed his regret that his duty made it impossible for him to indulge his private partialities.
It was absolutely necessary, he said, that those who had the chief direction of his affairs should partake his opinions and feelings.

He owned that he had very great personal obligations to Rochester, and that no fault could be found with the way in which the financial business had lately been done: but the office of Lord Treasurer was of such high importance that, in general, it ought not to be entrusted to a single person, and could not safely be entrusted by a Roman Catholic King to a person zealous for the Church of England.

"Think better of it, my Lord," he continued.

"Read again the papers from my brother's box.

I will give you a little more time for consideration, if you desire it." Rochester saw that all was over, and that the wisest course left to him was to make his retreat with as much money and as much credit as possible.