royalty restored-第44部分

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mers。　　In　his　office　as　page　to　the　Duke　of　York；　he　frequently　came　under　notice　of　her　ladyship；　who；　pleased　with　the　charms　of　his　boyish　face　and　graceful　figure；　intimated　his　love　would　not　prove　unacceptable　to　her。　　Accordingly　he　promptly　made　love　to　the　countess；　who；　in　the　first　fervour　of　her　affection；　presented　him　with　five　thousand　pounds。　　With　this　sum　he　purchased　a　life　annuity　of　five　hundred　pounds；　which；　as　Lord　Chesterfield　writes；　〃became　the　foundation　of　his　subsequent　fortune。〃　　Nor　did　her　generosity　end　here：　　at　a　cost　of　six　thousand　crowns　she　obtained　for　him　the　post　of　groom　of　the　bedchamber　to　the　Duke　of　York；　and　was　instrumental　in　subsequently　forwarding　his　advancements　in　the　army。

My　Lady　Castlemaine　was　by　no　means　inclined　to　spend　her　days　in　misery　because　the　royal　favour　was　no　longer　vouchsafed　her；　and　therefore；　by　way　of　satisfying　her　desires　for　revenge；　conducted　intrigues　not　only　with　John　Churchill　and　Harry　Jermyn；　but　likewise　with　one　Jacob　Hall；　a　noted　acrobat。　　This　man　was　not　only　gifted　with　strength　and　agility；　but　likewise　with　grace　and　beauty：　　so　that；　as　Granger　tells　us；　〃The　ladies　regarded　him　as　a　due　composition　of　Hercules　and　Adonis。〃　　His　dancing　on　the　tight　rope　at　Bartholomew　Fair　was　〃a　thing　worth　seeing　and　mightily　followed；〃　whilst　his　deeds　of　daring　at　Southwark　Fair　were　no　less　subjects　of　admiration　and　wonder。　The　countess　was　so　charmed　by　the　performance　of　this　athlete　in　public；　that　she　became　desirous　of　conversation　with　him　in　private；　and　he　was　accordingly　introduced　to　her　by　Beck　Marshall；　the　player。　　The　countess　found　his　society　so　entertaining　that　she　frequently　visited　him；　a　compliment　he　courteously　returned。　　Moreover；　she　allowed　him　a　yearly　salary；　and　openly　showed　her　admiration　for　him　by　having　their　portraits　painted　in　one　picture：　　in　which　she　is　represented　playing　a　fiddle；　whilst　he　leans　over　her；　touching　the　strings　of　a　guitar。

Her　amours　in　general；　and　her　intimacy　with　the　rope…dancer　in　particular；　becoming　common　talk　of　the　town；　his　majesty　became　incensed；　and　it　grieved　him　the　more　that　one　who　dwelt　in　his　palace；　and　was　yet　under　his　protection；　should　divide　her　favours　between　a　king　and　a　mountebank。　　Accordingly　bitter　feuds　arose　between　her　and　the　monarch；　when　words　of　hatred；　scorn；　and　defiance　were　freely　exchanged。　　His　majesty　upbraiding　her　with　a　love　for　the　rope…dancer；　she　replied　with　much　spirit；　〃it　very　ill　became　him　to　throw　out　such　reproaches　against　her：　　that　he　had　never　ceased　quarrelling　unjustly　with　her；　ever　since　he　had　betrayed　his　own　mean　low　inclinations：　that　to　gratify　such　a　depraved　taste　as　his；　he　wanted　the　pitiful　strolling　actresses　whom　he　had　lately　introduced　into　their　society。〃　　Then　came　fresh　threats　from　the　lips　of　the　fury；　followed　by　passionate　storms　of　tears。

The　king；　who　loved　ease　greatly；　and　valued　peace　exceedingly；　became　desirous　of　avoiding　such　harrowing　scenes。　　Accordingly；　he　resolved　to　enter　into　a　treaty　with　his　late　mistress；　by　which　he　would　consent　to　grant　her　such　concessions　as　she　desired；　providing　she　promised　to　discontinue　her　intrigues　with　objectionable　persons；　and　leave　him　to　pursue　his　ways　without　reproach。　　By　mutual　consent；　his　majesty　and　the　countess　selected　the　Chevalier　de　Grammont　to　conduct　this　delicate　business；　he　being　one　in　whose　tact　and　judgment　they　had　implicit　confidence。　　After　various　consultations　and　due　consideration；　it　was　agreed　the　countess　should　abandon　her　amours　with　Henry　Jermyn　and　Jacob　Hall；　rail　no　more　against　Moll　Davis　or　Nell　Gwynn；　or　any　other　of　his　majesty's　favourites；　in　consideration　for　which　Charles　would　create　her　a　duchess；　and　give　her　an　additional　pension　in　order　to　support　her　fresh　honours　with　becoming　dignity。

And　as　the　king　found　her　residence　in　Whitehall　no　longer　necessary　to　his　happiness；　Berkshire　House　was　purchased　for　her　as　a　suitable　dwelling　This　great　mansion；　situated　at　the　south…　west　corner　of　St。　James's　Street；　facing　St。　James's　Palace；　was　surrounded　by　pleasant　gardens　devised　in　the　Dutch　style；　and　was　in　every　way　a　habitation　suited　for　a　prince。　　This　handsome　gift　was　followed　by　a　grant　of　the　revenues　of　the　Post　Office；　amounting　to　four　thousand　seven　hundred　pounds　a　year；　which　was　at　first　paid　her　in　weekly　instalments。　　On　the　3rd　of　August；　1670；　Barbara；　Countess　of　Castlemaine；　was　created　Baroness　Nonsuch；　of　Nonsuch　Park；　Surrey；　Countess　of　Southampton；　and　Duchess　of　Cleveland　in　the　peerage　of　England。　　The　reasons　for　crowding　these　honours　thick　upon　her　were；　as　the　patent　stated；　〃in　consideration　of　her　noble　descent；　her　father's　death　in　the　service　of　the　crown；　and　by　reason　of　her　personal　virtues。〃

Nor　did　his　majesty's　extravagant　favours　to　her　end　here。　　She　was　now；　as　Mr。　Povy　told　his　friend　Pepys；　〃in　a　higher　command　over　the　king　than　evernot　as　a　mistress；　for　she　scorns　him；　but　as　a　tyrant；　to　command　him。〃　　In　consequence　of　this　power；　she　was；　two　months　after　her　creation　as　duchess；　presented　by　the　monarch　with　the　favourite　hunting　seat　of　Henry　VIII。；　the　magnificent　palace　and　great　park　of　Nonsuch；　in　the　parishes　of　Cheam　and　Malden；　in　the　county　of　Surrey。　　And　yet　a　year　later；　she　received　fresh　proofs　of　his　royal　munificence　by　the　gift　of　〃the　manor；　hundred；　and　advowson　of　Woking；　county　Surrey；　the　manor　and　advowson　of　Chobham；　the　hundred　of　Blackheath　and　Wootton；　the　manor　of　Bagshot　（except　the　park；　site　of　the　manor　and　manor…house；　and　the　Bailiwick；　and　the　office　of　the　Bailiwick；　called　Surrey　Bailiwick；　otherwise　Bagshot　Bailiwick）；　and　the　advowson　of　Bisley；　all　in　the　same　county。〃

Her　wealth；　the　more　notable　at　a　time　when　the　king　was　in　debt；　and　the　nation　impoverished　from　expenditure　necessary　to　warfare；　was　enormous。　　Andrew　Marvell；　writing　in　August；　1671；　states：　　〃Lord　St。　John；　Sir　R。　Howard；　Sir　John　Bennet；　and　Sir　W。　Bicknell；　the　brewer；　have　farmed　the　customs。　　They　have　signed　and　sealed　ten　thousand　pounds　a　year　more　to　the　Duchess　of　Cleveland；　who　has　likewise　near　ten　thousand　pounds　a　year　out　of　the　new　farm　of　the　country　excise　of　Beer　and　Ale；　five　thousand　pounds　a　year　out　of　the　Post　Office；　and　they　say；　the　reversion　of　all　the　King's　Leases；　the　reversion　of　places　all　in　the　Custom　House；　the　green　wax；　and　indeed　what　not？　　All　promotions　spiritual　and　temporal　pass　under　her　cognizance。〃



CHAPTER　XV。

Louise　de　Querouaille。The　Triple　Alliance。Louise　is　created　Duchess　of　Portsmouth。Her　grace　and　the　impudent　comedian。　Madam　Ellen　moves　in　society。The　young　Duke　of　St。　Albans。　Strange　story　of　the　Duchess　of　Mazarine。Entertaining　the　wits　at　Chelsea。Luxurious　suppers。Profligacy　and　wit。

The　Duchess　of　Cleveland　having　shared　the　fate　common　to　court　favourites；　her　place　in　the　royal　affections　was　speedily　filled　by　a　mistress　whose　influence　was　even　more　baneful　to　the　king；　and　more　pernicious　to　the　nation。　　This　woman　was　Louise　de　Querouaille；　the　descendant　of　a　noble　family　in　Lower　Brittany。　At　an　early　age　she　had　been　appointed　maid　of　honour　to　Henrietta；　youngest　sister　of　Charles　II。；　soon　after　the　marriage　of　that　princess；　in　1661；　with　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　brother　to　Louis　XIV。　　Fate　decreed　that　Mademoiselle　de　Querouaille　should　be　brought　into　England　by　means　of　a　political　movement；　love　ordained　she　should　reign　mistress　of　the　king's　affections。

It　happened　in　January；　1668；　that　a　Triple　Alliance　had　been　signed　at　the　Hague；　which　engaged　England；　Sweden；　and　the　United　Provinces　to　join　in　defending　Spain　against　the　power　of　France。　　A　secret　treaty　in　this　agreement　furthermore　bound　the　allies　to　check　the　ambition　of　Louis　XIV。；　and；　if　possible；　reduce　his　encroaching　sway。　　That　Charles　II。　should　enter　into　such　an　alliance　was　galling　to　the　French　monarch；　who　resolved　to　detach　his　kinsman　from　the　compact；　and　bind　him　to　the　interests　of　France。　　To　effect　this　desired　purpose；　which　he　knew　would　prove　objectionable　to　the　British　nation；　Louis　employed　Henrietta；　Duchess　of　Orleans；　to　visit　England　on　pretext　of　pleasure　and　affection；　and　secretly　persuade　and　bribe　her　brother　to　the　measures　required。

The　young　duchess；　though　an　English　princess；　had　at　heart　the　interests　of　the　country　in　which　she　had　been　reared；　and　which　on　her　marriage　she　had　adopted　as　her　own。　　She　therefore　gladly　undertook　this　mission；　confident　of　her　success　from　the　fact　that　of　all　his　family　she　had　ever　been　the　most　tenderly　beloved　by　Charles。　　Therefore　she　set　out　from　France；　and　in　the　month　of　May；　1670；　arrived　at　Dover；　to　which　port　the　king；　Queen；　and　court　hastened；　that　they　might　greet　and　entertain　her。　　For　full　ten　days　in　this　merry　month；　high　revelry　was　held　at　Dover；　during　which　time　Henrietta　skilfully　and　secretly　effected　the　object　of　her　visit。　　And　her　delight　was　now　the　greater；　inasmuch　as　one　item　which　this　agreement　entrusted　her　to　make；　engaged　that　Charles　would；　as　soon　as　he　could　with　safety；　follow　the　example　of　his　brother　the　Duke　of　York；　and　become　a　Catholic。　　In　carrying　out　this　purpose　Louis　promised　him　substantial　aid　and　sure　protection。　　Likewise；　it　may　be　mentioned；　did　the　French　king　engrage　to　grant　him　a　subsidy　equal　to　a　million　a　year；　if　Charles　joined　him　in　an　attack　on　Holland。

The　prospect　of　his　sister's　return　filled　the　king　with　sorrow；　which　increased　as　the　term　of　her　visit　drew　to　an　end。　　〃He　wept　when　he　parted　with　her；〃　wrote　Monsieur　Colbert；　the　French　ambassador；　who　significantly　adds；　〃whatever　favour　she　asked　of　him　was　granted。〃

Now　Louis　knowing　the　weakness　of　the　English　monarch's　character；　and　aware　of　his　susceptibility　to　female　loveliness；　had　despatched　Mademoiselle　de　Querouaille　in　the　train　of　Henrietta。　　Satisfied　that　Charles　could　not　resist　her　charms；　the　French　monarch　had　instructed　this　accomplished　woman；　who　was　trusted　in　his　councils；　to　accept　the　royal　love；　which　it　was　surmised　would　be　proffered　her；　so　that　by　the　influence　which　she　would　consequently　obtain；　she　might　hold　him　to　the　promises　he　m