98 DILLON. where he was graciously received by King Charles II., and made captain of the band of pensioners. In this situation he fell into the dissoluteness of manners usually attendant on a court, and with which no court was ever more tainted than that of Charles II. ; and, amongst other excesses, he was tempted to indulge a violent passion for gaming, by which he both injured his estate, and involved himself in quarrels, in which he is said to have frequently hazarded his life in duels. A dispute with the lord privy seal, about part of his estate, obliging him to re-visit his native country, he resigned his post in the English court; and shortly after his arrival in Dublin, the Duke of Ormonde appointed him captain of the guards. His passion for gaming, however, still continued; and he was involved in quarrels and difficulties in Ireland, as he had been before in England; and an adventure befel him which is related by Fenton in the following terms:—“As he returned to his lodgings from a gaming table, he was attacked in the dark by three ruffians, who were employed to assassinate him. The earl defended himself with so much resolution, that he dispatched one of the aggressors; whilst a gentleman, accidentally passing that way, inter posed, and disarmed another; the third secured himself by flight. This generous assistant was a disbanded officer, of a good family, and fair reputation; who, by what we call the partiality of fortune, to avoid censuring the ini quities of the time, wanted even a plain suit to make a decent appearance at the castle. But his lordship on this occasion, presenting him to the Duke of Ormonde, with great importunity prevailed with his grace that he might resign his post of captain of the guards to his friend, which f o r about three years the gentleman enjoyed; and upon his death, the duke returned the commission t o his generous benefactor.” - I t i s worthy o f insertion here, a n extract from a letter addressed b y Mrs. Catherine Phillips t o Sir Charles Cot terel, and dated, Dublin, October 19, 1662, wherein she styles him “a very ingenious person, o f excellent natural
