royalty restored-第42部分

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　degreewould　arise；　and；　screwing　his　face　into　ridiculous　contortions；　and　shaking　his　wig　in　a　manner　that　burlesqued　wisdom　to　perfection；　deliver　some　ludicrous　speech　brimming　with　mirth　and　indecencies；　assuming　the　grave　air　and　stately　manner　of　the　chancellor　the　while。　　And　finally；　to　make　the　caricature　perfect；　Tom　Killigrew；　hanging　a　pair　of　bellows　before　him　by　way　of　purse；　and　preceded　by　a　friend　carrying　a　fireshovel　to　represent　a　mace；　would　walk　round　the　room　with　the　slow　determined　tread　peculiar　to　Lord　Clarendon。　　At　these　performances　the　king；　his　mistress；　and　his　courtiers　would　laugh　loud　and　long　in　chorus；　with　which　was　mingled　sounds　of　chinking　glasses　and　flowing　wine。　　＇〃Came　my　lord　chancellor　（the　Earl　of　Clarendon）　and　his　lady；　his　purse　and　mace　borne　before　him；　to　visit　me〃　Evelyn's　〃Diary。〃＇

In　this　manner　was　the　old　man's　power　undermined；　but　a　circumstance　which　hastened　his　fall　occurred　in　the　early　part　of　1667。　　In　that　year　Lady　Castlemaine　had；　for　a　valuable　consideration；　disposed　of　a　place　at　court；　which　ensured　the　purchaser　a　goodly　salary。　　However；　before　the　bargain　could　finally　be　ratified；　it　was　necessary　the　appointment　should　pass　the　great　seal。　　This　the　chancellor　would　not　permit；　and　accompanied　his　refusal　by　remarking；　〃he　thought　this　woman　would　sell　every　thing　shortly。〃　　His　speech　being　repeated　to　her；　she；　in　great　rage；　sent　him　word　she　〃had　disposed　of　this　place；　and　had　no　doubt　in　a　little　time　to　dispose　of　his。〃　　And　so　great　was　the　malice　she　bore　him；　that　she　railed　against　him　openly　and　in　all　places；　nor　did　she　scruple　to　declare　in　the　queen's　chamber；　in　the　presence　of　much　company；　〃that　she　hoped　to　see　his　head　upon　a　stake；　to　keep　company　with　those　of　the　regicides　on　Westminster　Hall。〃

And　some　political　movements　now　arising；　the　history　of　which　lies　not　within　the　province　of　this　work；　the　king　seized　upon　them　as　an　excuse　for　parting　with　his　chancellor。　　The　monarch　complained　that　my　Lord　Clarendon　〃was　so　imperious　that　he　would　endure　no　contradiction；　that　he　had　a　faction　in　the　House　of　Commons　that　opposed　everything　that　concerned　his　majesty's　service；　if　it　were　not　recommended　to　them　by　him；　and　that　he　had　given　him　very　ill　advice　concerning　the　parliament；　which　offended　him　most。〃

Therefore　there　were　rumours　in　the　air　that　the　chancellor's　fall　was　imminent；　nor　were　the　efforts　of　his　son…in…law；　the　Duke　of　York；　able　to　protect　him；　for　the　friends　of　my　Lady　Castlemaine　openly　told　his　majesty　〃it　would　not　consist　with　his　majesty's　honour　to　be　hectored　out　of　his　determination　to　dismiss　the　chancellor　by　his　brother；　who　was　wrought　upon　by　his　wife's　crying。〃　　It　therefore　happened　on　the　26th　of　August；　1667；　as　early　as　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning；　Lord　Clarendon　waited　at　Whitehall　on　the　king；　who　presently；　accompanied　by　his　brother；　received　him　with　characteristic　graciousness。　Whereon　the　old　man；　acknowledging　the　monarch's　courtesy；　said　he　〃had　no　suit　to　make　to　him；　nor　the　least　thought　to　dispute　with　him；　or　to　divert　him　from　the　resolution　he　had　taken；　but　only　to　receive　his　determination　from　himself；　and　most　humbly　to　beseech　him　to　let　him　know　what　fault　he　had　committed；　that　had　drawn　this　severity　upon　him　from　his　majesty。〃

In　answer　to　this　Charles　said　he　must　always　acknowledge　〃he　had　served　him　honestly　and　faithfully；　and　that　he　did　believe　never　king　had　a　better　servant；　that　he　had　taken　this　resolution　for　his　good　and　preservation；　as　well　as　for　his　own　convenience　and　security；　that　he　was　sorry　the　business　had　taken　so　much　air；　and　was　so　publicly　spoken　of；　that　he　knew　not　how　to　change　his　purpose。〃　　To　these　words　of　fair　seeming　the　troubled　chancellor　replied　by　doubting　if　the　sudden　dismissal　of　an　old　servant　who　had　served　the　crown　full　thirty　years；　without　any　suggestion　of　crime；　but　rather　with　a　declaration　of　innocence；　would　not　call　his　majesty's　justice　and　good　nature　into　question。　　He　added　that　men　would　not　know　how　to　serve　him；　when　they　should　see　it　was　in　the　power　of　three　or　four　persons　who　had　never　done　him　any　notable　service　to　dispose　him　to　ungracious　acts。　　And　finally；　he　made　bold　to　cast　some　reflections　upon　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　and　give　his　majesty　certain　warnings　regarding　her　influence。

At　this　the　king；　not　being　well　pleased；　rose　up；　and　the　interview；　which　had　lasted　two　hours；　terminated。　　Lord　Clarendon　tells　us　so　much　concerning　his　memorable　visit；　to　which　Pepys　adds　a　vivid　vignette　picture　of　his　departure。　　When　my　lord　passed　from　his　majesty's　presence　into　the　privy　garden；　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　who　up　to　that　time　had　been　in　bed；　〃ran　out　in　her　smock　into　her　aviary　looking　into　Whitehalland　thither　her　woman　brought　her　nightgownand　stood　joying　herself　at　the　old　man's　going　away；　and　several　of　the　gallants　of　Whitehall；　of　which　there　were　many　staying　to　see　the　chancellor　return；　did　talk　to　her　in　her　birdcageamong　others　Blaneford；　telling　her　she　was　the　bird　of　paradise。〃

A　few　days　after　this　occurrence　the　king　sent　Secretary　Morrice　to　the　chancellor's　house；　with　a　warrant　under　a　sign　manual　to　require　and　receive　the　great　seal。　　This　Lord　Clarendon　at　once　delivered　him　with　many　expressions　of　duty　which　he　bade　the　messenger　likewise　convey　his　majesty。　　And　no　sooner　had　Morrice　handed　the　seals　to　the　king；　than　Baptist　May；　keeper　of　the　privy　purse；　and　friend　of　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　sought　the　monarch；　and　falling　upon　his　knees；　kissed　his　hand　and　congratulated　him　on　his　riddance　of　the　chancellor。　　〃For　now。〃　said　he；　availing　himself　of　the　liberty　Charles　permitted　his　friends；　〃you　will　be　kingwhat　you　have　never　been　before。〃　Finally；　the　chancellor　was；　through　influence　of　his　enemies；　impeached　in　the　House　of　Commons；　and　to　such　length　did　they　pursue　him；　that　he　was　banished　the　kingdom　by　act　of　parliament。

His　grace　the　Duke　of　Ormond　was　the　next　minister　whom　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　in　the　strength　of　her　evil　influence；　sought　to　undermine。　　By　reason　of　an　integrity　rendering　him　too　loyal　to　the　king　to　pander　to　his　majesty's　mistress；　he　incurred　her　displeasure　in　many　ways；　but　especially　by　refusing　to　gratify　her　cupidity。　　It　happened　she　had　obtained　from　his　majesty　a　warrant　granting　her　the　Phoenix　Park；　Dublin；　and　the　mansion　situated　therein；　which　had　always　been　placed　at　service　of　the　lords　lieutenants；　and　was　the　only　summer　residence　at　their　disposal。　　The　duke；　therefore；　boldly　refusing　to　pass　the　warrant；　stopped　the　grant。　　＇According　to　O'Connor's　〃Bibliotheca　Stowensis；〃　Lady　Castlemaine　soon　after　received　a　grant　of　a　thousand　pounds　per　annum　in　compensation　for　her　loss　of　Phoenix　Park。＇　This　so　enraged　the　countess；　that　soon　after；　when　his　grace　returned　to　England；　she；　on　meeting　him　in　one　of　the　apartments　in　Whitehall；　greeted　him　with　a　torrent　of　abusive　language　and　bitter　reproaches；　such　as　the　rancour　of　her　heart　could　suggest；　or　the　license　of　her　tongue　utter；　and　concluded　by　hoping　she　might　live　to　see　him　hanged。　　The　duke　heard　her　with　the　uttermost　calmness；　and　when　she　had　exhausted　her　abusive　vocabulary　quietly　replied；　〃Madam；　I　am　not　in　so　much　haste　to　put　an　end　to　your　days；　for　all　I　wish　with　regard　to　you　is；　that　I　may　live　to　see　you　grow　old。〃　　And；　bowing　low；　the　fine　old　soldier　left　her　presence。　　It　may　be　added；　though　the　duke　was　deprived　of　the　lord　lieutenancy；　the　countess's　pious　wish　regarding　him　was　never　fulfilled。

It　now　occurred　to　those　who　had　relentlessly　persecuted　the　chancellor；　that　though　they　were　safe　as　long　as　Charles　reigned；　his　death　would　certainly　place　them　in　peril。　　For　they　sufficiently　knew　the　Duke　of　York's　character　to　be　aware　when　he　ascended　the　throne　he　would　certainly　avenge　the　wrongs　suffered　by　his　father…in…law。　　Accordingly　these　men；　prominent　amongst　whom　were　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　Sir　Thomas　Clifford；　Lords　Arlington；　Lauderdale；　and　Ashley；　and　Baptist　May；　resolved　to　devise　means　which　would　prevent　the　Duke　of　York　ever　attaining　the　power　of　sovereignty。　　Therefore　scarce　a　year　had　gone　by　since　Lord　Clarendon's　downfall；　ere　rumours　were　spread　abroad　that　his　majesty　was　about　to　put　away　the　queen；　This　was　to　be　effected；　it　was　said；　by　the　king's　acknowledgment　of　a　previous　marriage　with　Lucy　Walters；　mother　of　the　Duke　of　Monmouth；　or　by　obtaining　a　divorce　on　ground　of　her　majesty's　barrenness。

The　Duke　of　Buckingham；　who　was　prime　mover　in　this　plot；　aware　of　the　king's　pride　in；　and　fondness　for　the　Duke　of　Monmouth；　favoured　the　scheme　of　his　majesty's　admission　of　a　marriage　previous　to　that　which　united　him　with　Catherine　of　Braganza。　And　according　to　Burnet；　Buckingham　undertook　to　procure　witnesses　who　would　swear　they　had　been　present　at　the　ceremony　which　united　him　with　the　abandoned　Lucy　Walters。　　Moreover；　the　Earl　of　Carlisle；　who　likewise　favoured　the　contrivance；　offered　to　bring　this　subject　before　the　House　of　Lords。　　However；　the　king　would　not　consent　to　trifle　with　the　succession　in　this　vile　manner；　and　the　idea　was　promptly　abandoned。　　But　though　the　project　was　unsuccessful；　it　was　subsequently　the　cause　of　many　evils；　for　the　chances　of　sovereignty；　flashing　before　the　eyes　of　the　Duke　of　Monmouth；　dazzled　him　with　hopes；　in　striving　to　realize　which；　he；　during　the　succeeding　reign；　steeped　the　country　in　civil　warfare；　and　lost　his　head。

The　king's　friends；　ever　active　for　evil；　now　sought　other　methods　by　which　he　might　rid　himself　of　the　woman　who　loved　him　well；　and　therefore　be　enabled　to　marry　again；　when；　it　was　trusted；　he　would　have　heirs　to　the　crown。　　It　was　suggested　his　union　might；　through　lack　of　some　formality；　be　proved　illegal；　but　as　this　could　not　be　effected　without　open　violation　of　truth　and　justice；　it　was　likewise　forsaken。　　The　Duke　of　Buckingham　now　besought　his　majesty　that　he　would　order　a　bill　to　divorce　himself　from　the　queen　to　be　brought　into　the　House　of　Commons。　The　king　gave　his　consent　to　the　suggestion；　and　the　affair　proceeded　so　far　that　a　date　was　fixed　upon　for　the　motion。　However；　three　days　previous；