The King surrounded himself with men like himself. This merry gang of
revelers vied with each other in dissipation and in jests on each
other. Charles's two chief favorites were the Earl of Rochester, a
gifted but ribald poet, and Lord Shaftesbury, who became Lord
Chancellor. Both have left on record their estimate of their royal
master. The first wrote on the door of the King's bedchamber:
"Here lies our sovereign lord, the King,
Whose word no man relies on;
He never says a foolish thing,
Nor ever does a wise one."
To which Charles, on reading it, retorted, "'Tis true! because while
my words are my own, my acts are my ministers'."
A bright repartee tells us what the second favorite thought. "Ah!
Shaftesbury," said the King to him one day, "I verily believe you are
the wickedest dog in my dominions." "Yes, your Majesty," replied
Shaftesbury, "for a SUBJECT I think perhaps I may be."