230 THE CECILS
By his wife, Margaret, daughter of the eighth Earl of Rutland, Salisbury had five sons and five daughters. His eldest son, James, succeeded as fourth Earl, at the age of eighteen. One of his first acts was to wait on his Majesty and " beg his pardon for his father's being concerned in any parts against his Majesty's interest." x
In the same year, 1683, ne married Frances Bennet, daughter and co-heir of Simon Bennet, of Bechampton ; but as she was not of age, being indeed, as we are told, " about thirteen years old," she forfeited most of her fortune. He afterwards travelled in France and Italy, and on his return was appointed High Steward of Hertford, colonel of a regiment of horse, and Gentleman of the Bedchamber to James II. In 1688 he was one of those who, judging from the King's favour to the Catholics that the moment was favourable, turned Papist. " Of the renegades," says Macaulay, " the Earls of Peter- borough and Salisbury were the highest in rank, but were also the lowest in intellect ; for Salisbury had always been an idiot, and Peterborough had long been a dotard." Alas ! the nemesis which waits on opportunism overtook him before he had enjoyed the exercise of his new religion for more than a few months. The rumour of the coming of the Prince of Orange threw him into a deplorable state of anxiety and trepidation. About every hour he would send his men to Whitehall to hear the news. " Then, when he
\ LuUrell, I. 269.
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