royalty restored-第12部分

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with　Charles　II；　and　his　friends；　in　the　history　of　kings　there　is　no　more　remarkable　figure　than　that　of　the　merry　monarch　himself。

Returning　to　rule　over　a　nation　which；　during　his　absence；　had　been　distracted　by　civil　strife；　King　Charles；　young　in　years；　brave　in　deeds；　and　surrounded　by　that　halo　of　romance　which　misfortune　lends　its　victims；　entirely。　　gained　the　hearts　of　his　subjects。　　Nature　had　endowed　him　with　gifts　adapted　to　display　qualities　that　fascinated；　and　fitted　to　hide　blemishes　which　repelled。　　On　the　one　hand　his　expressive　features　and　shapely　figure　went　far　towards　creating　a　charm　which　his　personal　grace　and　courtesy　of　manner　completed；　on　the　other；　his　delicate　tact　screened　the　heartlessness　of　his　sensualism；　whilst　his　surface　sympathies　hid　the　barrenness　of　his　cynicism。

With　the　coolness　and　courage　he　had　shown　in　danger；　the　shrewdness　and　wit　he　continually　evinced；　and　the　varied　capacities　he　certainly　possessed；　Charles　II。　might　have　made　his　reign　illustrious；　had　not　his　love　of　ease　and　detestation　of　business　rendered　him　indifferent　to　all　things　so　long　as　he　was　free　to　follow　his　desires。　　But　these　faults；　which　became　grievous　in　the　eyes　of　his　subjects；　commended　him　to　the　hearts　of　his　courtiers；　the　common　purpose　of　whose　lives　was　pursuit　of　pleasure。　　Never　was　sovereign　more　gracious　to　those　who　came　in　contact　with　him；　or　less　ceremonious　with　his　friends；　whilst　abroad　he　had　lived　with　his　little　band　of　courtiers　more　as　a　companion　than　a　king。　　The　bond　of　exile　had　drawn　them　close　together；　an　equal　fortune　had　gone　far　towards　obliterating　distinctions　of　royalty；　and　custom　had　so　fitted　the　monarch　and　his　friends　to　familiarity；　that　on　his　return　to　England　neither　he　nor　they　laid　aside　a　mutual　freedom　of　treatment　which　by　degrees　extended　itself　throughout　the　court。　　For　all　that；　〃he　was　master；〃　as　Welwood　says；　〃of　something　in　his　person　and　aspect　that　commanded　both　love　and　admiration　at　once。〃

Among　his　many　gifts　was　that　of　telling　a　story　wella　rare　one　'tis　true　in　all　ages。　　Never　was　he　better　pleased　than　when；　surrounded　by　a　group　of　gossips；　he　narrated　some　anecdote　of　which　he　was　the　hero；　and；　though　his　tales　were　more　than　twice　told；　they　were　far　from　tedious；　inasmuch　as；　being　set　forth　with　brighter　flashes　of　wit　and　keener　touches　of　irony；　they　were　ever　pleasant　to　hear。　　His　conversation　was　of　a　like　complexion　to　his　tales；　pointed；　shrewd；　and　humorous；　frequentlyas　became　the　manner　of　the　timesstraying　far　afield　of　propriety；　and　taking　liberties　of　expression　of　which　nice　judgments　could　not　approve。　　But　indeed　his　majesty's　speech　was　not　more　free　than　his　conduct　was　licentious。　　He　could　not　think；　he　gravely　told　Bishop　Burnet；　〃God　would　make　a　man　miserable　for　taking　a　little　pleasure　out　of　the　way。〃　Accordingly　he　followed　the　free　bent　of　his　desires；　and　his　whole　life　was　soon　devoted　to　voluptuousness；　a　vice　which　an　ingenious　courtier　obligingly　describes　as　a　〃warmth　and　sweetness　of　the　blood　that　would　not　be　confined　in　the　communicating　itselfan　overflowing　of　good　nature；　of　which　he　had　such　a　stream　that　it　would　not　be　restrained　within　the　banks　of　a　crabbed　and　unsociable　virtue。〃

The　ease　and　freedom　of　his　continental　life　had　no　doubt　fostered　this　lamentable　depravity；　for　his　misfortunes　as　an　exiled　king　by　no　means　prevented　him　following　his　inclinations　as　an　ardent　lover。　　Accordingly；　his　intrigues　at　that　time　were　numerous；　as　may　be　judged　from　the　fact　of　Lady　Byron　being　described　as　〃his　seventeenth　mistress　abroad。〃　　The　offspring　of　one　of　his　continental　mistresses　was　destined　to　plunge　the　English　nation　into　civil　warfare；　and　to　suffer　a　traitor's　death　on　Tower　Hill　in　the　succeeding　reign。

〃The　profligacy　which　Charles　practised　abroad　not　being　discontinued　at　home；　he　resumed　in　England　an　intrigue　commenced　at　Brussels　a　short　time　before　the　restoration。　　The　object　of　this　amour　was　the　beautiful　Barbara　Palmer；　afterwards；　by　reason　of　her　lack　of　virtue；　raised　to　the　peerage　under　the　titles　of　Countess　of　Castlemaine；　and　Duchess　of　Cleveland。　This　lady；　who　became　a　most　prominent　figure　in　the　court　of　the　merry　monarch；　was　daughter　of　William；　second　Viscount　Grandison；　a　brave　gentleman　and　a　loyal；　who　had　early　in　life　fallen　in　the　civil　war　whilst　fighting　for　his　king。　　He　is　described　as　having；　among　other　gifts；　〃a　faultless　person；〃　a　boon；　which　descended　to　his　only　child；　the　bewitching　Barbara。　In　the　earliest　dawn　of　her　womanhood　she　encountered　her　first　lover　in　the　person　of　Philip　Stanhope；　second　Earl　of　Chesterfield。　　My　lord　was　at　this　time　a　youthful　widower；　and　is　described　as　having　〃a　very　agreeable　face；　a　fine　head　of　hair；　an　indifferent　shape；　and　a　pleasant　wit。　　He　was；　moreover；　an　elegant　beau　and　a　dissolute　mantestimony　of　which　latter　fact　may　be　gathered　from　a　letter　written　to　him　in　1658；　by　his　sister…in…law；　Lady　Essex；　to　prevent　the　〃ruin　of　his　soule。〃　　Writes　her　ladyship：　　〃You　treate　all　the　mad　drinking　lords；　you　sweare；　you　game；　and　commit　all　the　extravagances　that　are　insident　to　untamed　youths；　to　such　a　degree　that　you　make　yourselfe　the　talke　of　all　places；　and　the　wonder　of　those　who　thought　otherwise　of　you；　and　of　all　sober　people。〃

When　Barbara　was　sixteen；　my　lord；　then　in　his　twenty…third　year；　inherited　the　title　and　estates　of　his　grandfather：　　he　therefore　became　master　of　his　own　fortune　and　could　bestow　his　hand　where　he　pleased。　　That　he　was　in　love　with　Barbara　is；　indeed；　most　true；　but　that　his　passion　was　dishonourable　is　likewise　certain：　for　though　he　wrote　her　letters　full　of　tenderness；　and　kept　assignations　with　her　at　Butler's　shop；　on　Ludgate　Hill；　he　was　the　while　negotiating　a　marriage　with　one　Mrs。　Fairfax；　to　whom　he　was　not；　however；　united。　　His　intrigue　with　Barbara　continued　for　upwards　of　three　years；　when　it　was　temporarily　suspended　by　her　marriage　to　one　Roger　Palmer；　a　student　of　the　Inner　Temple；　the　son　of　a　Middlesex　knight；　and；　moreover；　a　man　of　the　most　obliging　temper；　as　will　hereafter　be　seen。　　Barbara's　loyalty　to　her　husband　was　but　of　short　duration。　　Before　she　had　been　nine　months　a　wife；　we　find　her　writing　to　her　old　lover　she　is　〃ready　and　willing　to　goe　all　over　the　world〃　with　hima　sacrifice　he　declined　to　accept！　　though　eager　to　take　advantage　of　the　affection　which　prompted　it。　　A　little　while　later　he　was　obliged　to　quit　England；　for　it　happened　in　the　first　month　of　the　year　1660　he　quarrelled　with　and　killed　one　Francis　Woolley；　a　student　at　law；　to　avoid　the　consequences　of　which　act　he　speedily　fled　the　country。

Arriving　at　Calais；　he　wrote　to　King　Charles；　who　was　then　preparing　to　return；　throwing　himself　on　his　mercy；　and　beseeching　his　pardon；　which　the　king　granting；　Lord　Chesterfield　sought　his　majesty　at　Brussels。　　Soon　afterwards　Barbara　Palmer　and　her　complaisant　husband；　a　right　loyal　man；　joined　the　king's　court　abroad；　when　the　intrigue　begun　which　was　continued　on　the　night　of　the　monarch's　arrival　in　London。　　True　the　loyal　PARLIAMENTARY　INTELLIGENCER　stated　〃his　majesty　was　diverted　from　his　pious　intention　of　going　to　Westminster　to　offer　up　his　devotions　of　prayer　and　praise　in　publick　according　to　the　appointment　of　his　Majesty；　and　made　his　oblations　unto　God　in　the　presence…chamber；〃　but　it　is；　alas；　equally　certain；　according　to　Oldmixon；　Lord　Dartmouth；　and　other　reliable　authorities；　he　spent　the　first　night　of　his　return　in　the　company　of　Barbara　Palmer。　　From　that　time　this　abandoned　woman　exercised　an　influence　over　the　king　which　wholly　disgraced　his　court；　and　almost　ruined　his　kingdom。

Another　prominent　figure；　whose　history　is　inseparable　from　the　king's；　was　that　of　his　majesty's　brother；　James；　Duke　of　Yorka　man　of　greater　ambition　and　lesser　talents　than　the　merry　monarch；　but　one　whose　amorous　disposition　equalled　the　monarch's　withal。　　At　an　early　period　of　his　life　the　Duke　of　York　was　witness　of　the　strife　which　divided　his　unhappy　father's　kingdom。　When　only　eight　years　old　he　was　sent　for　by　Charles　I。　to　York；　but　was　forbidden　by　the　Parliament　to　leave　St。　James's　Palace。　Despite　its　commands　he　was；　however；　carried　to　the　king　by　the　gallant　Marquis　of　Hereford。　　That　same　year　the　boy　witnessed　the　refusal　of　Sir　John　Hotham；　Governor　of　Hull；　to　admit　his　majesty　within　the　gates；　and　James　was　subsequently　present　at　the　siege　of　Bristol；　and　the　famous　battle　of　Edgehill；　when　his　life　at　one　period　of　the　engagement　was　in　imminent　peril。

Until　1646　he　continued　under　the　guardianship　of　his　father；　when；　on　the　entrance　of　Fairfax　into　Oxford；　the　young　duke　was　found　among　the　prisoners；　and　by　Cromwell's　orders　committed　to　the　charge　of　Sir　George　Ratcliffe。　　A　few　months　later　he　was　removed　to　St。　James's　Palace；　when　in　company　with　his　brother；　the　Duke　of　Gloucester；　and　his　sister；　the　Princess　Elizabeth；　he　was　placed　under　the　care　of　Lord　Northumberland；　who　had　joined　the　Republican　cause。

Though　by　no　means　treated　with　unkindness；　the　young　duke；　unhappy　at　the　surveillance　placed　upon　his　actions　and　fearful　of　the　troubles　quickly　gathering　over　the　kingdom；　twice　sought　escape。　　This　was　a　serious　offence　in　the　eyes　of　Cromwell's　Parliament；　a　committee　was　accordingly　sent　to　examine　him；　and　he　was　threatened　with　imprisonment　in　the　Tower。　　Though　only　in　his　fourteenth　year　he　already　possessed　both　determination　and　courage；　by　reason　of　which　he　resolved　to　risk　all　danger；　and　make　a　third　effort　for　freedom。　　Accordingly　he　laid　his　plans　with　much　ingenuity；　selecting　two　men　from　those　around　him　to　aid　his　undertaking。　　These　were　George　Howard　and　Colonel　Bamfield。　　The　latter　had　once　served　in　the　king's　army；　but　when　the　fortunes　of　war　had　gone　against　his　royal　master；　had　professed　himself　friendly　to　the　Republicans。　　No　doubt　the　young　duke　saw　the　gallant　colonel　was　still　true　at　heart　to　the　Royalist　cause；　and　therefore　trusted　him　at　this　critical　juncture。

Now　for　a　fortnight　previous　to　the　night　on　which　he　designed　to　escape；　James　made　it　his　habit　to　play　at　hide…and…seek　every　evening　after　supper