that he was committed to the Tower for the remainder of that session. The fact was that the correspondence had taken place--at least so it has been said--with the full privity and sanction of William, who is even reported to have expressed his admiration of the results of Godolphin's 'coquetting' with the exiled James and his French Court. Attacks upon his consistency and his principles all failed; for, as Bishop Burnet has observed, 'The credit of the nation was never raised so high in any age, nor so sacredly maintained:' and so a new mode of annoying him was invented in an attempt to depreciate his abilities. He was thus satirized in 'Faction Displayed': '_Volpone_,[163] who will solely now command The Publick Purse and Treasure of the Land, Wants Constancy and Courage to oppose A Band of such exasperated Foes. For how shou'd he that moves by Craft and Fear Or ever greatly Think, or ever greatly Dare? What did he e'er in all his Life perform, But sunk at the Approach of ev'ry Storm? But, when the tott'ring Church his Aid required, } With _Moderation Principles_ inspir'd } Forsook his Friends, and decently retir'd. } Nor has he any real just Pretence To that vast Depth of Politicks and Sence; For where's the Depth, when publick Credit's high, To manage an o'erflowing Treasury?' But, notwithstanding all this, the great Minister pursued his successful career--as a huge mastiff passes on his way regardless of the yelping curs at his heels. His honours increased. In 1704 he was made a Knight of the Garter;[164] in the following year he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of his native county, in the room of John, Lord Grenville; and about the same time his son, (whose birth, as we have seen, had cost his mother her life,) being now seven-and-twenty years of age, became Lord Warden of the Stannaries.