royalty restored-第49部分

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t　compliance　with　her　mother's　request　would　〃most　conduce　to　the　service　of　God　and　the　public　good。〃　　On　this；　Mary　Beatrice　Eleonora；　Princess　d'Este；　daughter　of　the　fourth　Duke　of　Modena；　consented　to　become　Duchess　of　York。　　Whereon　the　Earl　of　Peterborough　made　a　public　entry　into　Modena；　as　ambassador　extraordinary　of　Charles　II。；　and　having　agreed　to　all　the　articles　of　marriage；　wedded　her　by　proxy　for　the　royal　duke。

Meanwhile；　news　that　the　heir　to　the　crown　was　about　to　wed　a　papist　spread　with　rapidity　throughout　the　kingdom；　carrying　alarm　in　its　course。　　If　sons　were　born　of　the　union；　they　would；　it　was　believed；　undoubtedly　be　reared　in　the　religion　of　their　parents；　and　England　in　time　became　subject　to　a　catholic　king。　The　possibility　of　such　a　fate　was　to　the　public　mind　fraught　with　horror；　and　the　House　of　Commons；　after　some　angry　debates　on　the　subject；　presented　an　address　to　the　king；　requesting　he　would　abandon　this　proposed　marriage。　　To　this　he　was　not　inclined　to　listen；　his　honour　being　so　far　involved　in　the　business；　but　notwithstanding　his　unwillingness；　his　councillors　urged　him　to　this　step；　and　prayed　he　would　stop　the　princess；　then　journeying　through　France　on　her　way　to　England。　　This　so　incensed　him　that　he　immediately　prorogued　parliament；　and　freed　himself　from　further　interference　on　the　subject。

On　the　21st　of　November；　1673；　the　future　duchess　landed　at　Dover；　where　the　duke　awaited　her；　attended　by　a　scant　retinue。　For　the　recent　protestations；　made　in　the　House　of　Commons　against　the　marriage；　having　the　effect　of　scaring　the　courtiers；　few　of　the　nobility；　and　but　one　of　the　bishops；　Dr。　Crew　of　Oxford；　ventured　to　accompany　him；　or　greet　his　bride。　　On　the　day　of　her　arrival　the　marriage　was　celebrated；　〃according　to　the　usual　form　in　cases　of　the　like　nature。〃　　The　〃Stuart　Papers〃　give　a　brief　account　of　the　ceremony。　　〃The　Duke　and　Duchess　of　York；　with　the　Duchess　of　Modena　her　mother；　being　together　in　a　room　where　all　the　company　was　present；　as　also　my　Lord　Peterborough；　the　bishop　asked　the　Duchess　of　Modena　and　the　Earl　of　Peterborough　whether　the　said　earl　had　married　the　Duchess　of　York　as　proxy　of　the　duke？　　which　they　both　affirming；　the　bishop　then　declared　it　was　a　lawful　marriage。〃

This　unpopular　union　served　to　strengthen　the　gathering　storm；　Protests　against　popery　were　universally　heard；　an　article　in　the　marriage　settlement；　which　guaranteed　the　duchess　a　public　chapel；　was　broken；　and　the　duke　was　advised　by　Lord　Berkshire　to　retire　into　the　country；　〃where　he　might　hunt　and　pray　without　offence　to　any　or　disquiet　to　himself。〃　　This　counsel　he　refused　to　heed。　　Until　his　majesty　should　command　him　to　the　contrary；　he　said；　he　would　always　attend　upon　him；　and　do　such　service　as　he　thought　his　duty　and　the　king's　security　required　of　him。　　His　enemies　became　more　wrathful　at　this　reply；　more　suspicious　of　popery；　and　more　fearful　of　his　influence　with　the　king；　They　therefore　sought　to　have　him　removed　from　his　majesty's　councils　and　presence　by　act　of　parliament。

Consequently；　when　both　Houses　assembled　on　the　7th　of　January；　1674；　the　lords　presented　an　address　to　the　monarch；　praying　he　would　graciously　issue　a　proclamation；　requiring　all　papists；　or　reputed　papists；　within　five　miles　of　London；　Westminster；　or　Southwark；　to　depart　ten　miles　from　these　respective　cities；　and　not　return　during　this　session　of　Parliament。　　A　few　days　afterwards　an　act　was　introduced　into　the　House　of　Commons　proposing　a　second　test；　impossible　for　catholics　to　accept；　the　refusal　of　which　would　not　only　render　them　incapable　of　holding　any　office；　civil　or　military；　or　of　sitting　in　either　House　of　Parliament；　but　〃of　coming　within　five　miles　of　the　court。〃　　This　unjust　bill；　to　which；　if　it　passed　both　houses；　Charles　dared　not　refuse　assent；　threw　the　court　and　country　into　a　state　of　renewed　excitement。　　Knowing　it　was　a　blow　levelled　at　the　duke；　his　friends　gathered　round　him；　determined　to　oppose　it　by　might　and　main；　and　after　great　exertions　caused　a　clause　to　be　inserted　excepting　his　royal　highness　from　the　test。　　This　was　ultimately　carried　by　a　majority　of　two　votes；　which；　says　Clarke；　〃put　the　little　Earl　of　Shaftesbury　so　out　of　humour；　that　he　said　he　did　not　care　what　became　of　the　bill；　having　that　proviso　in　it。〃

This　noble　earl；　who　was　chief　among　the　royal　duke's　enemies；　was　a　prominent　figure　in　the　political　history　of　the　time。　　Mr。　Burnet　tells　us　his　lordship's　strength　lay　in　the　knowledge　of　England；　and　of　all　considerable　men。　　〃He　understood；〃　says　the　bishop；　〃the　size　of　their　understandings　and　their　tempers；　and　he　knew　how　to　apply　himself　to　them　so　dexterously；　that　though　by　his　changing　sides　so　often　it　was　very　visible　how　little　he　was　to　be　depended　on；　yet　he　was　to　the　last　much　trusted　by　all　the　discontented　party。　　He　had　no　regard　to　truth　or　justice。〃　As　rich　in　resources　as　he　was　poor　in　honour；　he　renewed　a　plan　for　depriving　the　Duke　of　York　from　succession　to　the　crown；　which；　though　it　had　failed　when　formerly　attempted；　he　trusted　might　now　succeed。　　This　was　to　declare　the　Duke　of　Monmouth　the　king's　legitimate　son　and　heir　to　the　throne　of　England；　a　scheme　which　the　ambitious　son　of　Lucy　Walters　was　eager　to　forward。

His　majesty's　affection　for　him　had　strengthened　with　time；　and　his　favours　had　been　multiplied　by　years。　　On　the　death　of　the　Duke　of　Albemarle；　Captain　General　of　the　Forces；　Monmouth　had　been　appointed　to　that　high　office；　and　some　time　later　had　been　made　General　of　the　Kingdom　of　Scotland；　posts　of　greatest　importance。　　Relying　on　the　monarch's　love　and　the　people's　admiration　for　this　illegitimate　scion　of　royalty；　Lord　Shaftesbury　hoped　to　place　him　on　the　throne。　　As　the　first　step　necessary　in　this　direction　was　to　gain　his　majesty's　avowal　of　a　union　with　Lucy　Walters；　he　ventured　on　broaching　the　subject　to　the　king；　at　which　Charles　was　so　enraged　that　he　declared；　〃much　as　he　loved　the　Duke　of　Monmouth；　he　had　rather　see　him　hanged　at　Tyburn　than　own　him　as　his　legitimate　son。〃　　There　was；　however；　another　man　engaged　in　a　like　design　to　the　noble　earl；　who；　if　not　less　scrupulous；　was　more　daring。

This　was　one　Ross；　a　Scotsman；　who　had　been　made　governor　of　the　young　duke　on　his　first　coming　into　England；　and　who　had　since　acted　as　his　friend　and　confidant。　　Now　Ross；　who　had　not　failed　to　whisper　ambitious　thoughts　into　his　pupil's　head；　at　this　time　sought　Dr。　Cosin；　Bishop　of　Durham；　and　according　to　the　〃Stuart　Papers；〃　told　him　〃he　might　do　a　great　piece　of　service　to　the　Church　of　England　in　keeping　out　popery；　if　he　would　but　sign　a　certificate　of　the　king's　marriage　to　the　Duke　of　Monmouth's　mother；　with　whom　that　bishop　was　acquainted　in　Paris。　　Ross　also　told　the　bishop；　to　make　the　thing　more　easy　to　him；　that　during　his　life　the　certificate　should　not　be　produced　or　made　use　of。〃　The　same　papers　state　that；　as　a　bishop's　certificate　is　a　legal　proof　of　marriage；　Dr。　Cosin's　compliance　would　have　been　invaluable　to　the　duke　and　his　friends。　　His　lordship；　however；　rejected　the　proposition；　and　laid　the　matter　before　the　king；　who　expelled　Ross　from　court。

Horror　of　popery　and　fear　of　a　papist　sovereign　increased　with　time；　care　having　been　taken　by　my　Lord　Shaftesbury　and　his　party　that　the　public　mind；　once　inflamed；　should　be　kept　ignited。　　For　this　purpose　he　spread　reports　abroad　that　the　Irish　were　about　to　rise　in　rebellion；　backed　by　the　French；　and　that　the　papists　in　London　had　entered　into　a　vile　conspiracy　to　put　their　fellow　citizens　to　the　sword　on　the　first　favourable　opportunity。　　To　give　this　latter　statement　a　flavour　of　reality　he；　assuming　an　air　of　fright；　betook　himself　one　night　to　the　city；　and　sought　refuge　in　the　house　of　a　fanatic；　in　order；　he　said；　that　he　might　escape　the　catholics；　who　had　planned　to　cut　his　throat。

A　tempest；　dark　and　dangerous；　was　gathering　fast；　which　the　court　felt　powerless　to　subdue。　　The　king's　assurance　to　parliament　that　〃he　would　endeavour　to　satisfy　the　world　of　his　steadfastness　for　the　security　of　the　protestant　religion；〃　had　little　avail　in　soothing　the　people。　　Many　of　them　suspected　him　to　be　a　catholic　at　heart；　others　knew　he　had　accepted　the　bounty　of　a　country　feared　and　detested　by　the　nation。　　Deeds；　not　words；　could　alone　dispel　the　clouds　of　prejudice　which　came　between　him　and　his　subjects；　and　accordingly　he　set　about　the　performance　of　such　acts　as　might　bring　reconciliation　in　their　train。

The　first　of　these　was　the　confirmation；　according　to　the　Protestant　Church；　of　the　Lady　Mary；　eldest　daughter　of　the　Duke　of　York；　and　after　him　heir　presumptive　to　the　crown；　the　second　and　more　important　was　the　marriage　of　that　princess　to　William　of　Orange。　　This　prince　was　son　of　the　king's　eldest　sister；　and　therefore　grandson　of　Charles　I。　　As　a　hero　who；　by　virtue　of　his　statesmanship　and　indomitable　courage；　had　rescued　Holland　from　the　hateful　power　of　France；　he　was　regarded　not　only　as　the　saviour　of　his　country；　but　as　the　protector　of　protestantism。　Already　a　large　section　of　the　English　nation　turned　their　eyes　towards　him　as　one　whom　they　might　elect　some　day　to　weald　the　sceptre　of　Great　Britain。　　Subtle；　ambitious；　and　determined；　a　silent　student　of　humanity；　a　grave　observer　of　politics；　a　sagacious　leader　in　warfare；　he　had　likewise　begun　to　look　forward　towards　the　chances　of　succeeding　his　uncle　in　the　government　of　Englandin　hopes　of　which　he　had　been　strengthened　by　the　private　overtures　made　him　by　Shaftesbury；　and　sustained　by　the　public　prejudices　exhibited　against　the　Duke　of　York。

The　proposed　union　between　him　and　the　heiress　presumptive　to　the　crown　was　regarded　by　the　nation　with　satisfaction；　and　by　the　prince　as　an　act　strongly　favouring　the　realization　of　his　desires　for　sovereignty。　　Cold　and　grave　in　temperament；　sickly　and　repulsive　in　appearance；　blunt　and　graceless　in　manner；　he　was　by　no　means　an　ideal　bridegroom　for　a　fair　princess；　but　neither　she　nor　her　father　had　any　choice　given　them　in　a　concern　so　important　to　the　pacification　of　the　nation。　　She；　it　was　whispered　at　court；　had　previously　given　her　heart　to　a　brave　young　Scottish　laird；　and　her　fa