Moreover, journal entries from the queen herself indicate that even she did not see herself as rising above her station. Mary writes that she is “so little fit” for government affairs, and that “I do not know when I ought to speak and when not” during her council sessions. Despite the extraordinary power that Mary had, and often times yielded, her writing suggests that she still conceived of herself within the confines of traditional feminine ideals, which included not having an appetite for government business and a mouth that knows when to be silent and when to be used. Despite her active role in ecclesiastical appointments and involvement in government while William was away in military campaigns, Mary II obediently retired from politics