royalty restored-第15部分

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The　court　Charles　speedily　gathered　round　him　on　his　restoration　was　the　most　brilliant　the　nation　had　ever　witnessed。　　Those　of　birth　and　distinction　who　had　sought　refuge　abroad　during　the　late　troubles；　now　joyfully　returned：　　whilst　the　juvenile　branches　of　noble　families　living　in　retirement　in　England；　to　whom　royalty　had　been　a　stranger；　no　less　eagerly　flocked　to　the　presence　of　the　gay　young　king。　　The　wit　and　politeness　of　the　men；　the　grace　and　beauty　of　the　women；　who　surrounded　Charles　II。　have　become　proverbial；　whilst　the　gallantries　of　the　one；　and　the　frailties　of　the　other；　savour　more　of　romance　than　reality。

That　the　condition　of　the　court　on　its　establishment　may　be　realized；　it　is　necessary；　at　this　stage　of　its　history；　to　introduce　briefly　some　of　the　chief　personages　who　surrounded　his　majesty；　and　occupied　prominent　attention　in　the　annals　of　his　reign。　　Notably　amongst　them　were　the　gallant　Duke　of　Ormond　and　his　family。　　His　grace；　now　in　his　fiftieth　year；　was　distinguished　for　his　commanding　appearance；　gracious　manner；　and　excellent　wit。　　During　the　troubles　of　the　civil　war；　he　had　proved　himself　a　most　loyal　subject；　inasmuch　as　he　had　vested　his　fortune　and　ventured　his　person　in　service　of　the　late　king。　Subsequently　refusing　liberal　offers　made　him　by　Cromwell；　on　condition　of　living　in　peaceful　retirement；　he；　after　the　execution　of　Charles　I。；　betook　himself　to　France；　and　shared　exile　with　the　young　king　until　the　restoration。　　In　consequence　of　his　proven　fealty；　honours　were　then　deservingly　showered　upon　him：　　he　was　made　grand　steward　of　the　household；　first　lord　of　the　bedchamber；　and　subsequently　lord　lieutenant　of　Ireland。　　The　duchess；　who　had　participated　in　her　husband's　misfortunes　with　a　courage　equal　to　his　own；　was　a　high…minded　and　most　virtuous　lady；　who　had　brought　up　her　family　with　great　care。　　Scarcely　less　distinguished　in　mien　and　manner　than　the　duke；　were　his　two　sons；　Thomas；　Earl　of　Ossory；　and　Lord　Richard　Butler；　afterwards　Earl　of　Arran。　　My　lord　of　Ossory　was　no　less　remarkable　for　his　beauty　than　famous　for　his　accomplishments：　　he　rode　and　played　tennis　to　perfection；　performed　upon　the　lute　to　entrancement；　and　danced　to　the　admiration　of　the　court；　he　was　moreover　a　good　historian；　and　well　versed　in　chronicles　of　romance。　　No　less　was　the　Earl　of　Arran　proficient　in　qualifications　befitting　his　birth；　and　gifted　with　attributes　aiding　his　gallantry。

A　third　member　of　this　noble　family　played　a　more　remarkable　part　in　the　history　of　the　court　during　her　brief　career　than　either　of　her　brothers。　　This　was　the　Lady　Elizabeth　Butler；　eldest　daughter　of　the　duke；　who；　unfortunately　for　her　own　happiness；　married　my　Lord　Chesterfield　at　the　Hague；　when；　a　few　months　before　the　restoration；　that　nobleman　fled　to　the　continent　to　escape　the　consequences　of　Francis　Woolley's　murder。　　In　Lely's　picture　of　the　young　Countess　of　Chesterfield；　her　piquancy　attracts　at　a　glance；　whilst　her　beauty　charms　on　examination。　Her　cousin；　Anthony　Hamilton；　describes　her　as　having　large　blue　eyes；　very　tempting　and　alluring；　a　complexion　extremely　fair；　and　a　heart　〃ever　open　to　tender　sentiments；〃　by　reason　of　which　her　troubles　arose；　as　shall　be　set　down　in　proper　sequence。

Henry　Jermyn；　Earl　of　St。　Albans；　and　his　nephew；　〃the　little　Jermyn；〃　were　also　notable　as　figuring　in　court　intrigues。　　The　earl　was　member　of　the　privy　council　to　his　majesty；　and　moreover　held　a　still　closer　connection　to　the　queen　mother；　for；　according　to　Sir　John　Reresby；　Madame　Buviere；　and　others；　her　majesty　had　privately　married　his　lordship　abroadan　act　of　condescension　he　repaid　with　inhumanity。　　Madame　Buviere　says　he　never　gave　the　queen　a　good　word；　and　when　she　spoke　to　him　he　used　to　say；　〃Que　me　veut　cette　femme？〃　　The　same　authority　adds；　he　treated　her　majesty　in　an　extremely　ill　manner；　〃so　that　whilst　she　had　not　a　faggot　to　warm　herself；　he　had　in　his　apartments　a　good　fire　and　a　sumptuous　table。〃　　＇This　testimony　concerning　the　queen's　poverty　is　borne　out　by　Cardinal　de　Retz。　In　his　interesting　Memoirs　he　tells　of　a　visit　he　paid　the　queen　mother；　then　an　exile　in　Paris。　　He　found　her　with　her　youngest　daughter；　Henrietta；　in　the　chamber　of　the　latter。　　〃At　my　coming　in；〃　says　the　Cardinal；　〃she　（the　queen）　said；　'You　see；　I　am　come　to　keep　Henrietta　company；　the　poor　child　could　not　rise　to…day　for　want　of　a　fire。'　The　truth　is；　that　the　Cardinal　（Mazarin）　for　six　months　together　had　not　ordered　her　any　money　towards　her　pension；　that　no　tradespeople　would　trust　her　for　anything　and　there　was　not　at　her　lodgings　a　single　billet。　　You　will　do　me　the　justice　to　think　that　the　princess　of　England　did　not　keep　her　bed　the　next　day　for　want　of　a　faggot。　。　。　Posterity　will　hardly　believe　that　a　princess　of　England；　grand…daughter　to　Henry　the　Great；　hath　wanted　a　faggot　in　the　month　of　January；　in　the　Louvre；　and　in　the　eyes　of　the　French　court。〃＇　　Pepys　records　that　the　marriage　of　her　majesty　to　the　earl　was　commonly　talked　of　at　the　restoration；　and　he　likewise　mentions　it　was　rumoured　〃that　they　had　a　daughter　between　them　in　France。　　How　true；〃　says　this　gossip；　〃God　knows。〃

The　earl's　nephew；　Henry　Jermyn；　is　described　as　having　a　big　head　and　little　legs；　an　affected　carriage；　and　a　wit　consisting　〃in　expressions　learned　by　rote；　which　he　occasionally　employed　either　in　raillery　or　love。〃　　For　all　that；　he　being　a　man　of　amorous　disposition；　the　number　of　his　intrigues　was　no　less　remarkable　than　the　rank　of　those　who　shared　them。　　Most　notable　amongst　his　conquests　was　the　king's　eldest　sister；　widow　of　the　Prince　of　Orangea　lady　possessing　in　no　small　degree　natural　affections　for　which　her　illustrious　family　were　notorious。　During　the　exile　of　Charles　II。；　Henry　Jermyn　had　made　a　considerable　figure　at　her　court　in　Holland　by　reason　of　the　splendour　of　his　equipage；　entirely　supported　by　his　uncle's　wealth；　he　had　likewise　made　a　forcible　impression　on　her　heart　by　virtue　of　the　ardour　of　his　addresses；　wholly　sustained　by　his　own　effrontery。　　The　effect　of　his　presence　on　the　princess　soon　became　visible　to　the　court。　　Rumour　whispered　that　as　Lord　St。　Albans　had　already　made　an　alliance　with　royalty；　his　nephew　had　likewise　followed　his　example；　but　scandal　declared　that　young　Jermyn　and　the　princess　had　omitted　the　ceremony　which　should　have　sanctioned　their　happiness。　　The　reputation　of　such　an　amour　gained　him　the　immediate　attention　of　many　women；　whose　interest　in　his　character　increased　with　the　knowledge　of　his　abilities；　and　helped　to　associate　him　in　their　memories　with　tenderest　emotions。

Another　figure　prominent　in　this　gay　and　goodly　assembly　was　George　Villiers；　second　Duke　of　Buckingham。　　The　faultless　beauty　of　his　face；　and　graceful　symmetry　of　his　figure；　would　have　rendered　him　distinguished　in　a　court　less　sensuously　impressionable　to　physical　perfection；　even　if　his　talents　had　not　dazzled；　and　his　wit　amused。　　On　the　death　of　the　first　Duke　of　Buckingham；　〃styled　the　handsomest　bodied　man　in　England；〃　the　late　king　of　pious　memory　undertook　the　charge　of　the　young　duke；　and　had　him　educated　with　his　own　sons。　　Subsequently　he　was　sent　to　Cambridge；　and　then　travelled　into　France；　the　better　to　acquire　that　polish　of　manner　and　grace　of　bearing　for　which　he　became　distinguished。　　But；　whilst　abroad；　word　was　brought　him　of　the　distress　of　his　master；　the　king；　on　which　the　young　duke　hastened　back　into　England；　became　a　cavalier；　and　fought　his　majesty's　battles　with　great　gallantry。　　Soon　after　Charles　I。　had　been　beheaded；　his　faithful　servitor　went　abroad；　but　being　loyal　to　the　Stuart　cause；　he　journeyed　with　Charles　II。　to　Scotland；　and　afterwards　fought　beside　him　in　the　bloody　battle　of　Worcester。　　Whilst　the　monarch　was　hiding　in　Boscobel　Wood；　the　duke　betook　himself　to　London；　where；　donning　a　wizard's　mask；　a　jack…pudding　coat；　a　hat　adorned　with　a　fox's　tail　and　cock's　feathers；　he　masqueraded　as　a　mountebank；　and　discoursed　diverting　nonsense　from　a　stage　erected　at　Charing　Cross。　　After　running　several　risks；　he　escaped　to　France。　　But　alas　for　the　duke；　who　was　born　as　Madame　Dunois　avows；　doubtless　from　experience〃for　gallantry　and　magnificence；〃　he　was　now　penniless；　his　great　estates　being　confiscated　by　Cromwell。　However；　conceiving　a　scheme　that　might　secure　him　part　of　his　fortune；　he　hastened　to　put　it　into　execution。

It　happened　that　my　Lord　Fairfax；　one　of　Cromwell's　great　generals；　had　allotted　to　him　by　the　Protector　a　portion　of　the　Buckingham　estates　that　returned　five　thousand　pounds　a　year。　The　general　was；　moreover；　placed　in　possession　of　York　House；　which　had　likewise　belonged　to　his　grace。

Now　it　happened　Lord　Fairfax；　a　generous…tempered　man　and　brave　soldier；　had　an　only　child；　a　daughter　destined　to　become　his　heiress；　aware　of　which　the　duke　resolved　to　marry　her；　that　he　might　in　this　manner　recover　portion　of　his　estate。　　The　fact　of　the　lady　never　having　seen　him　did　not　interfere　with　his　plans；　that　she　would　reject　his　suit　seemed　an　impossibility；　that　she　would　succumb　to　the　fascination　he　invariably　exercised　over　woman　was　a　certainty。　　Nor　did　it　matter　that　Mistress　Fairfax　was　no　beauty；　for　the　duke；　being　grateful　for　past　favours　liberally　bestowed　by　the　opposite　sex；　had　no　intention　of　becoming　under　any　circumstances　churlish　enough　to　limit　his　devotion　to　one　lady；　though　she　were　his　wife。

Carefully　disguising　himself；　he　journeyed　to　London；　where　he　was　met　by　a　faithful　friend；　who　promised　he　would　aid　him　in　winning　Mistress　Fairfax；　towards　which　end　he　promptly　introduced　the　duke　to　that　estimable　gentlewoman。　　Having　once　obtained　speech　of　her；　the　remainder　of　his　scheme　was　comparatively　easy　of　accomplishment。　　She　loved　the　gay　and　graceful　gallant　at　first　sight；　and　through　years　of　bitter　wrong　and　cruel　neglect　continued　his　faithful　and　devoted　slave。

Though　she　had　become　clandestinely　acquainted　with　him；　she　was　too　good　a　daughter　to　wed　without　her　father's　consent。　　But　this　she　had　not　much　difficulty　in　obtaining。　　Though　Lord　Fairfax　had　fought　against　his　king；　he　was　not　sufficiently　republican　to　scorn　alliance　with　nobility；　nor　so　thoroughly