royalty restored-第16部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


nst　his　king；　he　was　not　sufficiently　republican　to　scorn　alliance　with　nobility；　nor　so　thoroughly　puritan　as　to　disdain　connection　with　the　ungodly。　　Accordingly　he　gave　his　sanction　to　the　union；　which　was　celebrated　at　his　mansion　at　Nun　Appleton；　within　six　miles　of　York。　　Now；　my　Lord　Fairfax　had　not　consulted　Cromwell's　goodwill　concerning　this　alliance；　the　news　of　which　reaching　the　Protector　in　due　time；　made　him　exceedingly　wroth。　　For　he　had　daughters　to　marry；　and；　that　he　might　strengthen　his　power；　was　desirous　of　wedding　them　to　scions　of　nobility；　Buckingham　being　one　of　those　whom　he　had　mentally　selected　to　become　a　member　of　his　family。　　His　anger　was　therefore　at　once　directed　against　Fairfax　and　his　grace。　The　former　he　could　not　molest；　but　the　latter　he　committed　to　the　Tower；　and　if　the　great　Protector　had　not　been　soon　after　seized　by　fatal　illness；　the　duke　would　have　made　his　last　journey　from　thence　to　Tower　Hill。　　As　it　fell　out　he　remained　a　prisoner　until　within　a　year　of　the　coming　of　Charles；　whom　he　welcomed　with　exceeding　joy。　　Being　bred　with　the　merry　monarch；　he　had　from　boyhood　been　a　favourite　of　his　majesty；　with　whom　he　shared　a　common　love　for　diversion。　　He　was；　therefore；　from　the　first　a　prominent　figure　at　Whitehall；　his　handsome　person　and　extravagant　dress　adorned　the　court；　his　brilliant　wit　and　poignant　satire　amused　the　royal　circle。

His　grace；　however；　had　a　rival；　the　vivacity　of　whose　temper　and　piquancy　of　whose　humour　went　far　to　eclipse　Buckingham's　talent　in　these　directions。　　This　was　the　young　Earl　of　Rochester；　son　of　my　Lord　Wilmot；　who　had　so　successfully　aided　the　king's　escape　after　the　battle　of　Worcester；　for　which　service　he　had　been　created　Earl　of　Rochester　by　Charles　in　Paris。　　That　worthy　man　dying　just　a　year　previous　to　the　restoration；　his　son　succeeded　to　his　titles；　and　likewise　to　an　estate　which　had　been　preserved　for　him　by　the　prudence　of　his　mother。　　Even　in　his　young　days　Lord　Rochester　gave　evidence　of　possessing　a　lively　wit　and　remarkable　genius；　which　were　cultivated　by　his　studies　at　Oxford　and　his　travels　abroad。　　So　that　at　the　age　of　eighteen；　when　he　returned　to　England　and　presented　himself　at　Whitehall；　his　sprightly　parts　won　him　the　admiration　of　courtiers　and　secured　him　the　favour　of　royalty。　　Nor　was　the　young　earl　less　distinguished　by　his　wit　and　learning　than　by　his　face　and　figure；　the　delicate　beauty　of　his　features　and　natural　grace　of　his　person　won　him　the　love　of　many　women；　whom　the　tenderness　of　his　heart　and　generosity　of　his　youth　did　not　permit　him　to　leave　unrequited。

Soon　surfeited　by　his　conquests　in　the　drawing…room；　he　was　anxious　to　extend　his　triumphs　in　another　direction；　and；　selecting　the　sea　as　a　scene　of　action；　he　volunteered　to　sail　under　my　Lord　Sandwich　in　quest　of　the　Dutch　East　Indian　fleet。　At　the　engagements　to　which　this　led　he　exhibited　a　dauntless　courage　that　earned　him　renown　abroad；　and　covered　him　with　honour　on　his　return　to　court。　　From　that　time　he；　for　many　years；　surrendered　himself　to　a　career　of　dissipation；　often　abandoning　the　paths　of　decency　and　decorum；　pursuing　vice　in　its　most　daring　and　eccentric　fashion；　employing　his　genius　in　the　composition　of　lampoons　which　spared　not　even　the　king；　and　in　the　writing　of　ribald　verses；　the　very　names　of　which　are　not　proper　to　indite。　　Lord　Orford　speaks　of　him　as　a　man　〃whom　the　muses　were　fond　to　inspire；　and　ashamed　to　avow；　and　who　practised；　without　the　least　reserve；　that　secret　which　can　make　verses　more　read　for　their　defects　than　for　their　merits。〃　　More　of　my　Lord　Rochester　and　his　poems　anon。

Thomas　Killigrew；　another　courtier；　was　a　poet；　dramatist；　and　man　of　excellent　wit。　　He　had　been　page　in　the　service　of　his　late　majesty；　and　had　shared　exile　with　the　present　monarch；　to　whose　pleasures　abroad　and　at　home　he　was　ever　ready　to　pander。　At　the　restoration　he　was　appointed　a　groom　of　the　bedchamber；　and；　moreover；　was　made　master　of　the　revelsan　office　eminently　suited　to　his　tastes；　and　well　fitted　to　exercise　his　capacities。　His　ready　wit　amused　the　king　so　much；　that　he　was　occasionally　led　to　freedoms　of　speech　which　taxed　his　majesty's　good…nature。　His　escapades　diverted　the　court　to　such　an　extent；　that　he　frequently　took　the　liberty　of　affording　it　entertainment　at　the　expense　of　its　reputation。　　The　〃beau　Sidney；〃　a　man　〃of　sweet　and　caressing　temper；〃　handsome　appearance；　and　amorous　disposition；　Sir　George　Etherege；　a　wit　and　a　playwright；　and　Charles　Sackville；　Earl　of　Dorset；　a　poet　and　man　of　sprightly　speech；　were　likewise　courtiers　of　note。

Among　such　congenial　companions　the　merry　monarch　abandoned　himself　wholly　to　the　pursuit　of　pleasure；　and　openly　carried　on　his　intrigue　with　Barbara　Palmer。　　According　to　the　testimony　of　her　contemporaries；　she　was　a　woman　of　surpassing　loveliness　and　violent　passions。　　Gilbert　Burnet；　whilst　admitting　her　beauty；　proclaims　her　defects。　　She　was；　he　relates；　〃most　enormously　vicious　and　ravenous；　foolish　but　imperious；　very　uneasy　to　the　king；　and　always　carrying　on　intrigues　with　other　men；　while　she　yet　pretended　she　was　jealous　of　him。〃　　Pepys　testifies　likewise　to　her　physical　attractions　so　long　as　she　reigned　paramount　in　the　king's　affections；　but　when　another　woman；　no　less　fair；　came　betwixt　my　lady　and　his　majesty's　favour；　Mr。　Pepys；　being　a　loyal　man　and　a　frail；　found　greater　beauty　in　the　new　love；　whose　charms　he　avowed　surpassed　the　old。　　To　his　most　interesting　diary　posterity　is　indebted　for　glimpses　of　the　manner　in　which　the　merry　monarch　and　his　mistress　behaved　themselves　during　the　first　months　of　the　restoration。　　Now　he　tells　of　〃great　doings　of　musique；〃　which　were　going　on　at　Madame　Palmer's　house；　situated　in　the　Strand；　next　Earl　Sandwich's；　and　of　the　king　and　the　duke　being　with　that　lady：　　again；　in　the　Chapel　Royal；　Whitehall；　he　observed；　whilst　Dr。　Herbert　Croft　prayed　and　preached；〃how　the　Duke　of　York　and　Mrs。　Palmer　did　talk　to　one　another　very　wantonly　through　the　hangings　that　part　the　king's　closet　and　the　closet　where　the　ladies　sit。〃　　And　later　on；　when　he　witnessed　〃The　Humorous　Lieutenant〃　performed　before　the　court；　he　noted　the　royal　favourite　was　likewise　present；　〃with　whom　the　king　do　discover　a　great　deal　of　familiarity。〃

Presently；　in　February；　1661；　exactly　nine　months　after　his　majesty's　return；　Mrs。　Palmer　gave　birth　to　a　daughter。　　To　the　vast　amusement　of　the　court；　no　less　than　three　men　claimed　the　privilege　of　being　considered　father　of　this　infant。　　One　of　these　was　my　Lord　Chesterfield；　whom　the　child　grew　to　resemble　in　face　and　person；　the　second　was　Roger　Palmer；　who　left　her　his　estate；　the　third　was　King　Charles；　who　had　her　baptized　Anne　Palmer　Fitzroy；　adopted　her　as　his　daughter；　and　eventually　married　her　to　the　Earl　of　Sussex。

Soon　after　the　restoration　the　subject　of　his　majesty's　marriage　was　mooted　by　his　councillors；　who　trusted　a　happy　union　would　redeem　him　from　vice；　and；　by　bringing　him　heirs；　help　to　establish　him　more　firmly　in　the　affections　of　his　people。　　The　king　lending　a　willing　ear　to　this　advice；　the　sole　difficulty　in　carrying　it　into　execution　rested　in　the　selection　of　a　bride　congenial　to　his　taste　and　equal　to　his　sovereignty。　　King　Louis　of　France　had　no　sisters；　and　his　nieces　had　not　commended　themselves　to　the　merry　monarch's　favour　during　his　stay　abroad。　Spain　had　two　infantas；　but　one　was　wedded　to　the　King　of　France；　and　the　other　betrothed　to　the　heir　of　the　royal　house　of　Austria。　　Germany；　of　course；　had　princesses　in　vast　numbers；　who　awaited　disposal；　but　when　they　were　proposed　to　King　Charles；　〃he　put　off　the　discourse　with　raillery；〃　as　Lord　Halifax　narrates。　　〃Odd's　fish；〃　he　would　say；　shrugging　his　shoulders　and　making　a　grimace；　〃I　could　not　marry　one　of　them：　　they　are　all　dull　and　foggy！〃

Catherine　of　Braganza；　daughter　of　Don　Juan　IV。　of　Portugal；　was　unwedded；　and　to　her　Charles　ultimately　addressed　himself。　Alliance　with　her　commended　itself　to　the　nation　from　the　fact　that　the　late　king；　before　the　troubled　times　began；　had　entered　into　a　negotiation　with　Portugal　concerning　the　marriage　of　this　same　infanta　and　his　present　majesty；　and　such　was　the　esteem　in　which　the　memory　of　Charles　I。　was　now　held；　that　compliance　with　his　desires　was　regarded　as　a　sacred　obligation。　　The　Portuguese　ambassador　assured　the　merry　monarch　that　the　princess；　by　reason　of　her　beauty；　person；　and　age；　was　most　suited　to　him。　　To　convince　him　of　this；　he　showed　his　majesty　a　portrait　of　the　lady；　which　the　king　examining；　declared　〃that　person　could　not　be　unhandsome。〃　　The　ambassador；　who　was　of　a　certainty　most　anxious　for　this　union；　then　said　it　was　true　the　princess　was　a　catholic；　and　would　never　change　her　faith；　but　she　was　free　from　〃meddling　activity；〃　that　she　had　been　reared　by　a　wise　mother；　and　would　only　look　to　the　freedom　of　practising　her　own　religion　without　interfering　with　that　of　others。　　Finally；　he　added　that　the　princess　would　have　a　dowry　befitting　her　high　station；　of　no　less　a　sum　than　five　hundred　thousand　pounds　sterling　in　ready　money。

Moreover；　by　way　of　addition　to　this　already　handsome　portion；　the　Queen　of　Portugal　was　ready　to　assign　over　and　annex　to　the　English　crown；　the　Island　of　Bombay；　in　the　East　Indies；　and　Tangier　on　the　African　coasta　place　of　strength　and　importance；　which　would　be　of　great　benefit　and　security　to　British　commerce。　Nor　was　this　all。　　Portugal　was　likewise　willing　to　grant　England　free　trade　in　Brazil　and　the　East　Indies；　a　privilege　heretofore　denied　all　other　countries。　　This　was　indeed　a　dower　which　none　of　the　〃dull　and　foggy〃　German　princesses　could　bring　the　crown。　The　prospect　of　obtaining　so　much　ready　money　especially　commended　the　alliance　to　the　extravagant　taste　of　his　majesty；　who　had　this　year　complained　to　Parliament　of　his　poverty；　by　reason　of　which　he　〃was　so　much　grieved　to　see　many　of　his　friends　come　to　him　at　Whitehall；　and　to　think　they　were　obliged　to　go　somewhere　else　for　a　dinner。〃

The　merry　monarch　was　therefore　well　pleased　at　the　prospect　of　his　union；　as　were　likewise　the　chancellor　and　four　or　five　〃competent　considerers　of　such　an　affair〃　whom　he　consulted。　These