royalty restored-第14部分

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of　that　country。　　On　the　restoration；　he　had　returned　with　the　king；　and；　three　months　later；　this　〃prince　of　very　extraordinary　hopes〃　died；　grievously　lamented　by　the　court；　and　especially　by　his　majesty；　who　declared　he　felt　this　loss　more　than　any　other　which　had　previously　fallen　upon　him。

Scarcely　had　he　been　laid　to　rest　in　the　vault　containing　the　dust　of　Mary　Queen　of　Scots　and　Lady　Arabella　Stuart；　when　the　Princess　of　Orange　arrived　in　England　to　pay　the　king　a　visit　of　ceremony。　　No　sooner　was　she　settled　at　court；　than　rumour　of　her　brother's　marriage　reached　her；　on　which　she　became　outrageous；　but　her　wrath　was　far　exceeded　by　that　of　the　queen　mother；　who；　on　hearing　the　news；　wrote　to　the　duke　expressing　her　indignation　〃that　he　should　have　such　low　thoughts　as　to　marry　such　a　woman。〃　The　epistle　containing　this　sentence　was　at　once　shown　by　James　to　his　wife；　whom　he　continually　saw　and　spent　much　time　with；　unknown　to　her　father；　who　had　given　orders　she　should　keep　her　chamber。　　Parliament　now　sat；　but　no　mention　was　made　of　the　duke's　marriage　by　either　House；　and；　inasmuch　as　the　union　so　nearly　concerned　the　nation；　this　silence　caused　considerable　surprise。　　It　was　surmised　the　delay　was　made　in　deference　to　the　feelings　of　the　queen　mother；　who　at　this　juncture　set　out　for　England；　to　prevent　what　she　was　pleased　to　term　〃so　great　a　stain　and　dishonour　to　the　crown。〃　　The　king　regarded　his　brother's　alliance　in　a　lenient　spirit；　and　not　only　spoke　of　it　frequently　before　the　court；　but　expressed　his　desire　of　bringing　the　indiscretion　to　a；　happy　conclusion　by　a　public　acknowledgment。

The　queen　mother；　being　an　ambitious　woman；　had　cherished　certain　schemes　for　extending　the　power　of　her　family　by　the　respective　marriages　of　her　sons；　which　the　duke's　union　was；　of　course；　calculated　to　curtail。　　She　therefore　regarded　his　wife　with　the　bitterest　disdain。　　Whenever　that　woman　should　be　brought　into　Whitehall　by　one　door；　her　majesty　declared　she　would　leave　it　by　another　and　never　enter　it　again。　　The　marriage　was　rendered　all　the　more　disagreeable　to　the　queen；　because　the　object　of　her　son's　choice　was　daughter　of　the　lord　chancellor；　whose　influence　over　Charles　II。　had　frequently　opposed　her　plans　in　the　past；　and　threatened　to　prevent　their　realization　in　the　future。　　The　monarch；　however；　paid　little　attention　to　his　mother's　indignation。　　He　was　resolved　no　disgrace　which　he　could　hinder　should　fall　upon　the　family　of　one　who　had　served　him　with　disinterested　loyalty；　and；　by　way　of　proving　his　friendship　towards　the　chancellor　on　the　present　occasion；　he；　before　setting　out　to　meet　his　mother　on　her　arrival　at　Dover；　presented　him　with　twenty　thousand　pounds；　and　left　a　signed　warrant　for　creating　him　a　baron；　which　he　desired　the　attorney…general　to　have　ready　to　pass　the　seals　at　his　return。

In　the　meantime　a　wicked　plot；　for　the　purpose　of　lessening　James's　affection　for　his　wife；　and　ultimately　preventing　the　acknowledgment　of　his　marriage；　was　promoted　by　the　chancellor's　enemies　and　the　duke's　friends；　principal　amongst　whom　were　the　Princess　of　Orange　and　Sir　Charles　Berkley；　〃a　fellow　of　great　wickedness；〃　Sir　Charles　was　his　royal　highness's　most　trusted　friend；　and　was；　moreover；　devoted　to　the　service　of　the　princess　and　her　mother。　　He　therefore　determined　to　hinder　the　duke　from　taking　a　step　which　he　was　of　opinion　would　injure　him　irretrievably。　　Accordingly；　when　James　spoke　in　confidence　concerning　his　marriage；　Sir　Charles　told　him　it　was　wholly　invalid；　inasmuch　as　it　had　taken　place　without　the　king's　consent；　and　that　a　union　with　the　daughter　of　an　insignificant　lawyer　was　not　to　be　thought　of　by　the　heir　to　the　crown。　Moreover；　he　hinted　he　could　a　tale　unfold　regarding　her　behaviour。　　At　this　the　duke　became　impatient　to　hear　what　his　good　friend　had　to　say；　whereon　that　valiant　gentleman　boasted；　with　an　air　of　bravery　and　truth；　of　certain　gallantries　which　had　passed　between　him　and　the　lady。　　On　hearing　this；　James；　being　credulous　was　sorely　depressed。　　He　ceased　to　visit　his　wife；　withdrew　from　general　company；　and　so　well　did　Sir　Charles's　scheme　succeed；　that　before　the　queen's　arrival；　the　duke　had　decided　on　denying　his　marriage　with　one　who　had　brought　him　dishonour。　　The　king；　however；　put　no　faith　in　these　aspersions；　he　felt　sure　〃there　was　a　wicked　conspiracy　set　on　foot　by　villains。〃

It　therefore　happened　the　queen　was　spared　the　trouble　she　had　anticipated　with　her　son；　indeed；　he　humbly　begged　her　pardon　for　〃having　placed　his　affections　so　unequally；　of　which　he　was　sure　there　was　now　an　end〃a　confession　most　gratifying　to　her　majesty。　　The　duke's　bitter　depression　continued；　and　was　soon　increased　by　the　death　of　his　sister；　the　Princess　of　Orange；　which　was　occasioned　by　smallpox　on　the　23rd　of　December；　1660。　In　her　last　agonies　Lord　Clarendon　says　〃she　expressed　a　dislike　of　the　proceedings　in　that　affair；　to　which　she　had　contributed　too　much。〃　　This　fact；　together　with　his　royal　highness's　unhappiness；　had　due　weight　on　Sir　Charles　Berkley；　who　began　to　repent　of　the　calumnies　he　had　spoken。　　Accordingly；　the　〃lewd　informer〃　went　to　the　duke；　and　sought　to　repair　the　evil　he　had　wrought。　　Believing；　he　said；　such　a　marriage　would　be　the　absolute　ruin　of　his　royal　highness；　he　had　made　the　accusation　which　he　now　confessed　to　be　false；　and　without　the　least　ground；　for　he　was　very　confident　of　the　lady's　honour　and　virtue。　　He　then　begged　pardon　on　his　knees　for　a　fault　committed　out　of　pure　devotion；　and　trusted　the　duke　would　〃not　suffer　him　to　be　ruined　by　the　power　of　those　whom　he　had　so　unworthily　provoked；　and　of　which　he　had　so　much　shame　that　he　had　not　confidence　to　look　upon　them。〃

James　was　so　much　relieved　by　what　he　heard　that　he　not　only　forgave　Sir　Charles；　but　embraced　him；　and　promised　him　protection。　　Nor　did　his　royal　highness　longer　withhold　the　reparation　due　to　his　wife；　who；　with　the　approval　of　the　king　and　the　reluctant　consent　of　the　queen；　was　received　at　court　as　Duchess　of　York。　　Such　was　the　romance　connected　with　the　marriage　of　her　who　became　mother　of　two　English　queensMary；　wife　of　William　of　Orange；　and　Anne；　of　pious　memory。



CHAPTER　V。

Morality　of　the　Restoration。Puritan　piety。Conduct　of　women　under　the　Republic。Some　notable　courtiers。The　Duke　of　Ormond　and　his　family。Lord　St。　Albans　and　Henry　Jermyn。His　Grace　of　Buckingham　and　Mistress　Fairfax。Lord　Rochester。Beautiful　Barbara　Palmer。The　King's　Projected　marriage。Catherine　of　Braganza。His　Majesty's　speech。A　Royal　love…letter。The　new　Queen　sets　sail。

A　general　idea　obtains　that　the　libertine　example　set　forth　by　Charles　II。　and　his　courtiers　is　wholly　to　blame　for　the　spirit　of　depravity　which　marked　his　reign。　　That　it　was　in　part　answerable　for　the　spread　of　immorality　is　true；　inasmuch　as　the　royalists；　considering　sufficient　aversion　could　not　be　shown　to　the　loathsome　hypocrisy　of　the　puritans；　therefore　fell　into　an　opposite　extreme　of　ostentatious　profligacy。　　But　that　the　court　was　entirely　responsible　for　the　vice　tainting　all　classes　of　society　whilst　the　merry　monarch　occupied　the　throne；　is　false。

Other　causes　had　long　been　tending　to　produce　this　unhappy　effect。　　The　reign　of　the　Commonwealth　had　not　been；　remarkable　for　its　virtue；　though　it　had　been　notable　for　its　pharisaism。　With　the　puritan；　words　of　piety　took　place　of　deeds　of　grace；　the　basest　passions　were　often　hidden　under　sanctimonious　exteriors。　　Even　Cromwell；　〃a　man　of　long　and　dark　discourses；　sermons；　and　prayers；〃　was　not　above　reproach。　　Bishop　Burnet；　who　has　no　harsh　words　for　him；　and　few　gentle　ones　for　Charles；　states　the　Protector's　intrigue　with　Lady　Dysart　was　〃not　a　little　taken　notice　of；〃　on　which；　the　godly　man　〃broke　it　off。〃　He　therefore；　Heath　records；　began　an　amour　with　a　lady　of　lesser　noteMrs。　Lambert；　the　wife　of　a　puritan；　herself　a　lady　devoted　to　psalm　singing　and　audible　prayer　when；　not　otherwise　pleasantly　engaged。

The　general　character　of　many　news…sheets　of　the　day　proves　that　morality　under　the　Republic　was　at　a　low　ebb。　　Anarchy　in　a　kingdom　invariably　favours　dissoluteness　in　a　people；　inasmuch　as　the　disturbance　of　civil　order　tends　to　unsettle　moral　law。　Homes　being　divided　amongst　themselves　by　political　strife；　paternal　care　was　suspended；　and　filial　respect　ignored。　　In　the　general　confusion　which　obtained；　the　distinction　of　social　codes　was　overlooked。　　Lord　Clarendon　states　that；　during　this　unhappy　period；　young　people　of　either　sex　were　〃educated　in　all　the　liberty　of　vice；　without　reprehension　or　restraint。〃　　He　adds；　〃The　young　women　conversed　without　any　circumspection　or　modesty；　and　frequently　met　at　taverns　and　common　eating…houses。〃　　An　additional　description　of　the　ways　and　manners　of　young　maidens　under　the　Republic　is　given　in　a　rare　and　curious　pamphlet　entitled　〃A　Character　of　England　as　it　was　lately　presented　in　a　Letter　to　a　Nobleman　of　France〃；　printed　in　the　year　1659；　for　Jo。　Crooke；　and　sold　at　the　Ship　in　St。　Paul's　Yard。　　Having　spoken　of　taverns　where　〃fury　and　intemperance〃　reign；　and　where；　〃that　nothing　may　be　wanting　to　the　height　of　luxury　and　impiety；　organs　have　been　translated　out　of　the　churches　for　the　purpose　of　chanting　their　dithyrambics　and　bestiall　bacchanalias　to　the　tune　of　those　instruments　which　were　wont　to　assist　them　in　the　celebration　of　God's　praises；〃　the　writer　continues：　　〃Your　lordship　will　scarce　believe　me　that　the　ladies　of　greatest　quality　suffer　themselves　to　be　treated　in　one　of　those　taverns；　where　a　curtezan　in　other　cities　would　scarcely　vouchsafe　to　be　entertained；　but　you　will　be　more　astonish't　when　I　shall　assure　you　that　they　drink　their　crowned　cups　roundly；　strain　healths　through　their　smocks；　daunce　after　the　fiddle；　kiss　freely；　and　tearm　it　an　honourable　treat。〃　　He　furthermore　says　they　were　to　be　found　until　midnight　in　company　with　their　lovers　at　Spring　Garden；　which　seemed　to　be　〃contrived　to　all　the　advantages　of　gallantry。〃　　From　which　evidences　it　may　be　gathered；　that　London　under　the　Commonwealth　was　little　less　vicious　than　under　the　merry　monarch。

The　court　Charles　speedily　gathered　round　him　on　his　restoration　was　the　most　brilliant　the　na