noon
During the whole of the night of the 29th-30th July , the Colonel was engaged with gentlemen of the military profession , whom 't is needless here to name ; suffice it to say that several of them had exceeding high rank in the army , and one of them in especial was a General , who , when he heard the Duke of Marlborough was coming on the other side , waved his crutch over his head with a huzzah , at the idea that he should march out and engage him . Of the three Secretaries of State , we knew that one was devoted to us . The Governor of the Tower was ours ; the two companies on duty at Kensington barrack were safe ; and we had intelligence , very speedy and accurate , of all that took place at the Palace within . At noon , on the 30th of July , a message came to the Prince 's friends that the Committee of Council was sitting at Kensington Palace , their Graces of Ormonde and Shrewsbury , the Archbishop of Canterbury and the three Secretaries of State , being there assembled . In an hour afterwards , hurried news was brought that the two great Whig Dukes , Argyle and Somerset , had broke into the Council-chamber without a summons , and taken their seat at table . After holding a debate there , the whole party proceeded to the chamber of the Queen , who was lying in great weakness , but still sensible , and the Lords recommended his Grace of Shrewsbury as the fittest person to take the vacant place of Lord Treasurer ; her Majesty gave him the staff , as all know . `` And now , '' writ my messenger from Court , `` NOW OR NEVER IS THE TIME . ''