royalty restored-第39部分

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And　in　order　that　the　investigation　might　be　conducted　with　greater　rigour　he　sent　into　the　country　for　the　lord　chief　justice；　who　was　dreaded　by　all　for　his　unflinching　severity。　The　lord　chancellor；　in　his　account　of　these　transactions；　assures　us　many　of　the　witnesses　who　gave　evidence　against　those　indicted　with　firing　the　capital　〃were　produced　as　if　their　testimony　would　remove　all　doubts；　but　made　such　senseless　relations　of　what　they　had　been　told；　without　knowing　the　condition　of　the　persons　who　told　them；　or　where　to　find　them；　that　it　was　a　hard　matter　to　forbear　smiling　at　their　declarations。〃　　Amongst　those　examined　was　one　Roger　Hubert；　who　accused　himself　of　having　deliberately　set　the　city　on　fire。　This　man；　then　in　his　twenty…fifth　year；　was　son　of　a　watchmaker　residing　in　Rouen。　　Hubert　had　practised　the　same　trade　both　in　that　town　and　in　London；　and　was　believed　by　his　fellow　workmen　to　be　demented。　　When　brought　before　the　chief　justice　and　privy　council；　Hubert　with　great　coolness　stated　he　had　set　the　first　house　on　fire：　　for　which　act　he　had　been　paid　a　year　previously　in　Paris。　　When　asked　who　had　hired　him　to　accomplish　this　evil　deed；　he　replied　he　did　not　know；　for　he　had　never　seen　the　man　before：　　and　when　further　questioned　regarding　the　sum　he　had　received；　he　declared　it　was　but　one　pistole；　but　he　had　been　promised　five　pistoles　more　when　he　should　have　done　his　work。　These　ridiculous　answers；　together　with　some　contradictory　statements　he　made；　inclined　many　persons；　amongst　whom　was　the　chief　justice；　to　doubt　his　confession。　　Later　on　in　his　examinations；　he　was　asked　if　he　knew　where　the　house　had　stood　which　he　set　on　fire；　to　which　he　replied　in　the　affirmative；　and　on　being　taken　into　the　city；　pointed　out　the　spot　correctly。

In　the　eyes　of　many　this　was　regarded　as　proof　of　his　guilt；　though　others　stated　that；　having　lived　in　the　city；　he　must　necessarily　become　acquainted　with　the　position　of　the　baker's　shop。　　Opinion　was　therefore　somewhat　divided　regarding　him。　　The　chief　justice　told　the　king　〃that　all　his　discourse　was　so　disjointed　that　he　did　not　believe　him　guilty。〃　　Yet　having　voluntarily　accused　himself　of　a　monstrous　deed；　and　being　determined　as　it　seemed　to　rid　himself　of　life；　he　was　condemned　to　death　and　speedily　executed。

Lord　Clarendon　says：　　〃Neither　the　judges　nor　any　present　at　the　trial　did　believe　him　guilty；　but　that　he　was　a　poor　distracted　wretch；　weary　of　his　life；　and　chose　to　part　with　it　in　this　way。　Certain　it　is　that　upon　the　strictest　examination　that　could　be　afterwards　made　by　the　king's　command；　and　then　by　the　diligence　of　the　House；　that　upon　the　jealousy　and　rumour　made　a　committee；　that　was　very　diligent　and　solicitous　to　make　that　discovery；　there　was　never　any　probable　evidence　（that　poor　creature's　only　excepted）　that　there　was　any　other　cause　of　that　woful　fire　than　the　displeasure　of　God　Almighty：　　the　first　accident　of　the　beginning　in　a　baker's　house；　where　there　was　so　great　a　stock　of　faggots；　and　the　neighbourhood　of　such　combustible　matter；　of　pitch　and　rosin；　and　the　like；　led　it　in　an　instant　from　house　to　house；　through　Thames　Street；　with　the　agitation　of　so　terrible　a　wind　to　scatter　and　disperse　it。〃

But　belief　that　the　dreaded　papists　had　set　fire　to　the　city；　lingered　in　the　minds　of　many　citizens。　　When　the　city　was　rebuilt；　this　opinion　found　expression　in　an　inscription　cut　over　the　doorway　of　a　house　opposite　the　spot　where　the　fire　began；　which　ran　as　follows：

〃Here；　by　the　permission　of　heaven；　hell　broke　loose　on　this　protestant　city　from　the　malicious　hearts　of　barbarous　papists；　by　the　hand　of　their　agent　Hubert；　who　confessed；　and　on　the　ruins　of　this　place　declared　the　fact；　for　which　he　was　hanged。　Erected　in　the　mayoralty　of　Sir　Patience　Ward；　Knight。〃

The　loss　caused　by　this　dreadful　conflagration　was　estimated　at　ten　million　sterling。　　According　to　a　certificate　of　Jonas　Moore　and　Ralph　Gatrix；　surveyors　appointed　to　examine　the　ruins；　the　fire　overrun　373　acres　within　the　walls；　burning　13；200　houses；　89　parish　churches；　numerous　chapels；　the　Royal　Exchange；　Custom　House；　Guildhall；　Blackwell　Hall；　St。　Paul's　Cathedral；　Bridewell；　fifty…two　halls　of　the　city　companies；　and　three　city　gates。

As　speedily　as　might　be；　the　king　and　his　parliament　then　sitting　at　Oxford；　sought　to　restore　the　city　on　a　scale　vastly　superior　to　its　former　condition。　　And　the　better　to　effect　this　object；　an　act　of　parliament　was　passed　that　public　buildings　should　be　rebuilt　with　public　money；　raised　by　a　tax　on　coals；　that　the　churches　and　the　cathedral　of　St。　Paul's　should　be　reconstructed　from　their　foundations；　that　bridges；　gates　and　prisons　should　be　built　anew；　the　streets　made　straight　and　regular；　such　as　were　steep　made　level；　such　as　were　narrow　made　wide；　and；　moreover；　that　every　house　should　be　built　with　party　walls；　such　being　of　stone　or　brick；　and　all　houses　raised　to　equal　height　in　front。

And　these　rules　being　observed；　a　stately　and　magnificent　city　rose　phoenix…like　from　ruins　of　the　old；　so　that　there　was　naught　to　remind　the　inhabitants　of　their　great　calamity　save　the　Monument。　　This；　designed　by　Sir　Christopher　Wren；　and　built　at　a　cost　of　fourteen　thousand　five　hundred　pounds；　was　erected　near　where　the　fire　broke　out；　the　better　to　perpetuate　a　memory　of　this　catastrophe　in　the　minds　of　future　generations；　which　purpose　it　fulfils　unto　this　day。



CHAPTER　XIII。

The　court　repairs　to　Oxford。Lady　Castlemaine's　son。Their　majesties　return　to　Whitehall。The　king　quarrels　with　his　mistress。Miss　Stuart　contemplates　marriage。Lady　Castlemaine　attempts　revenge。Charles　makes　an　unpleasant　discovery。The　maid　of　honour　elopes。His　majesty　rows　down　the　Thames。Lady　Castlemaine's　intrigues。Fresh　quarrels　at　court。The　king　on　his　knees。

The　while　such　calamities　befell　the　citizens；　the　king　continued　to　divert　himself　in　his　usual　fashion。　　On　the　29th　of　June；　1665；　whilst　death　strode　apace　through　the　capital；　reaping　full　harvests　as　he　went；　their　majesties　left　Whitehall　for　Hampton　Court；　From　here　they　repaired　to　Salisbury；　and　subsequently　to　Oxford；　where　Charles　took　up　his　residence　in　Christchurch；　and　the　queen　at　Merton　College。

Removed　from　harrowing　scenes　of　ghastliness　and　distress；　the　court　made　merry。　　Joined　by　fair　women　and　gallant　men；　their　majesties　played　at　bowls　and　tennis　in　the　grassy　meads　of　the　college　grounds；　rode　abroad　in　great　hawking　parties；　sailed　through　summer　days　upon　the　smooth　waters　of　the　river　Isis；　and　by　night　held　revelry　in　the　massive…beamed　oak…panelled　halls；　from　which　scarce　five…score　candles　served　to　chase　all　gloom。

It　happened　whilst　life　thus　happily　passed；　at　pleasant　full…　tide　flow；　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　who　resided　in　the　same　college　with　her　majesty；　gave　birth　on　the　28th　of　December　to　another　son；　duly　baptized　George　Fitzroy；　and　subsequently　created　Duke　of　Northumberland。　　By　this　time；　the　plague　having　subsided　in　the　capital；　and　all　danger　of　infection　passed　away；　his　majesty　was　anxious　to　reach　London；　yet　loth　to　leave　his　mistress；　whom　he　visited　every　morning；　and　to　whom　he　exhibited　the　uttermost　tenderness。　　And　his　tardiness　to　return　becoming　displeasing　to　the　citizens；　and　they　being　aware　of　its　cause；　it　was　whispered　in　taverns　and　cried　in　the　streets；　〃The　king　cannot　go　away　till　my　Lady　Castlemaine　be　ready　to　come　along　with　him；〃　which　truth　was　found　offensive　on　reaching　the　royal　ears。

Towards　the　end　of　January；　1666；　he　returned　to　Whitehall；　and　a　month　later　the　queen；　who　had　been　detained　by　illness；　joined　him。　　Once　more　the　thread　of　life　was　taken　up　by　the　court　at　the　point　where　it　had　been　broken；　and　woven　into　the　motley　web　of　its　strange　history。　　Unwearied　by　time；　unsatiated　by　familiarity；　the　king　continued　his　intrigue　with　the　imperious　Castlemaine；　and　with　great　longing　likewise　made　love　to　the　beautiful　Stuart。　　But　yet　his　pursuit　of　pleasure　was　not　always　attended　by　happiness；　inasmuch　as　he　found　himself　continually　involved　in　quarrels　with　the　countess；　which　in　turn　covered　him　with　ridicule　in　the　eyes　of　his　courtiers；　and　earned　him　contempt　in　the　opinions　of　his　subjects。

One　of　these　disturbances；　which　occurred　soon　after　his　return　from　Oxford；　began　at　a　royal　drawing…room；　in　presence　of　the　poor　slighted　queen　and　ladies　of　the　court。　　It　happened　in　the　course　of　conversation　her　majesty　remarked　to　the　countess　she　feared　the　king　had　taken　cold　by　staying　so　late　at　her　lodgings；　to　which　speech　my　Lady　Castlemaine　with　some　show　of　temper　answered　aloud；　〃he　did　not　stay　so　late　abroad　with　her；　for　he　went　betimes　thence；　though　he　do　not　before　one；　two；　or　three　in　the　morning；　but　must　stay　somewhere　else。〃　　The　king；　who　had　entered　the　apartment　whilst　she　was　speaking；　came　up　to　her；　and　displeased　with　the　insinuations　she　expressed；　declared　she　was　a　bold；　impertinent　woman；　and　bade　her　begone　from　the　court；　and　not　return　until　he　sent　for　her。　　Accordingly　she　whisked　from　the　drawing…room；　and　drove　at　once　to　Pall　Mall；　where　she　hired　apartments。

Her　indignation　at　being　addressed　by　Charles　in　such　a　manner　before　the　court；　was　sufficiently　great　to　beget　strong　desires　for　revenge；　when　she　swore　she　would　be　even　with　him　and　print　his　letters　to　her　for　public　sport。　　In　cooler　moments；　however；　she　abandoned　this　idea；　and　in　course　of　two　or　three　days；　not　hearing　from　his　majesty；　she　despatched　a　message　to　him；　not　entreating　pardon；　but　asking　permission　to　send　for　her　furniture　and　belongings。　　To　this　the　monarch；　who　had　begun　to　miss　her　presence　and　long　for　her　return；　replied　she　must　first　come　and　view　them；　and　then　impatient　for　reconciliation；　he　sought　her；　and　they　became　friends　once　more。　　And　by　way　of　sealing　the　bond　of　pacification；　the　king　soon　after　agreed　to　pay　her　debts；　amounting　to　the　sum　of　thirty　thousand　pounds；　which　had　been　largely　incurred　by　presents　bestowed　by　her　upon　her　lovers。

His　majesty　was　not　only　rendered　miserable　by　the　constant　caprices　and　violent　temper　of　the　countess；　but　likewise　by　the　virtue　and　coldness　Miss　Stuart　betrayed　since　her　retu