royalty restored-第68部分

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　volumes　on　a　book…stall。　　He　was　prevailed　to　return　to　his　college；　where；　in　1638；　he　took　his　degree　as　bachelor　of　arts。

On　the　completion　of　his　studies　and　death　of　his　father；　he　travelled　through　Holland；　France；　and　Italy。　　Whilst　abroad　he　began　to　produce　those　satirical　verses　such　as　were　destined　to　render　him　famous。　　One　of　his　earliest　efforts　in　this　direction　was　aimed　at　the　Abbe　de　Maniban；　a　learned　ecclesiastic；　whose　chief　fault　in　Marvell's　eyes　lay　in　the　fact　of　his　professing　to　judge　characters　from　handwriting。

Whilst　in　Italy；　Andrew　Marvell　met　John　Milton；　and　they　having　many　tastes　and　convictions　in　common；　became　fast　friends。　　In　1653；　the　former　returned　to　England；　and　for　some　time　acted　as　tutor　to　Mistress　Fairfax；　he　being　an　excellent　scholar；　and　a　great　master　of　the　Latin　tongue。　　He　now　led　a　peaceful　and　obscure　life　until　1657。　　In　that　year；　Milton；　〃laying　aside；〃　as　he　wrote；　〃those　jealousies；　and　that　emulation　which　mine　own　condition　might　suggest　to　me；〃　introduced　him　to　Bradshaw；　soon　after　which　he　was　made　assistant…secretary　to　Milton；　who　was　then　in　the　service　of　Cromwell。

He　had　not　been　long　engaged　in　this　capacity；　when　the　usurper　died；　and　Marvell's　occupation　being　gone；　the　goodly　burgesses　of　the　town　of　Hull；　who　loved　him　well；　elected　him　as　their　representative　in　parliament；　for　which　service；　in　accordance　with　a　custom　of　the　time；　he　was　paid。　　The　salary；　it　is　true；　was　not　large；　amounting　to　two　shillings　a　day　for　borough　members；　yet　when　kindly　feeling　and　honest　satisfaction　mutually　existed　between　elector　and　representative；　as　in　Marvell's　case；　the　wage　was　at　times　supplemented　by　such　acceptable　additions　as　home…cured　pork　and　home…brewed　ale；　〃We　must　first　give　you　thanks；〃　wrote　Marvell　on　one　occasion　to　his　constituents；　on　the　receipt　of　a　cask　of　beer；　〃for　the　kind　present　you　have　pleased　to　send　us；　which　will　give　occasion　to　us　to　remember　you　often；　but　the　quantity　is　so　great；　that　it　might　make　sober　men　forgetful。〃

He　now；　in　the　warfare　of　political　life；　made　free　use　of　his　keen　wit　and　bitter　sarcasm　as　serviceable　weapons。　　These　were　chiefly　employed　in　exposing　measures　he　considered　calculated　to　ruin　the　country；　though　they　might　gratify　the　king。　　However；　he　had　no　hatred　of　monarchy；　but　would　occasionally　divert　Charles　by　the　sharpness　of　his　satire　and　brilliancy　of　his　wit。　Considering　how　valuable　these　would　be　if　employed　in　service　of　the　court；　Charles　resolved　to　tempt　Marvell's　integrity。　　For　this　purpose　the　Lord　Treasurer　Danby　sought　and　found　him　in　his　chamber；　situated　in　the　second　floor　of　a　mean　house　standing　in　a　court　off　the　Strand。　　Groping　his　way　up　the　dark　and　narrow　staircase　of　the　domicile；　the　great　minister　stumbled；　and　falling　against　a　door；　was　precipitated　into　Marvell's　apartment；　head　foremost。　　Surprised　at　his　appearance；　the　satirist　asked　my　Lord　Danby　if　he　had　not　mistaken　his　way。　〃No；〃　said　the　courtier　with　a　bow；　〃not　since　I　have　found　Mr。　Marvell。〃　　He　then　proceeded　to　tell　him　that　the　king；　being　impressed　by　a　high　sense　of　his　abilities；　was　desirous　of　serving　him。　　Apprehending　what　services　were　expected　in　return；　Marvell　answered　that　he　who　accepted　favours　from　the　court　was　bound　to　vote　in　its　interests。　　〃Nay；〃　said　my　lord；　〃his　majesty　but　desires　to　know　if　there　is　any　place　at　court　you　would　accept。〃　　On　which　Marvell　replied　he　could　receive　nothing　with　honour；　for　either　he　must　treat　the　king　with　ingratitude　by　refusing　compliance　with　court　measures；　or　be　a　traitor　to　his　country　by　yielding　to　them。　　The　only　favour　he　therefore　begged　was；　that　his　majesty　would　esteem　him　a　loyal　subject；　the　truer　to　his　interests　in　refusing　his　offers　than　he　would　be　by　accepting　them。　　It　is　stated　that　Lord　Danby；　surprised　at　so　much　purity　in　an　age　of　corruption；　furthermore　tempted　him　with　a　bag　of　gold；　which　Marvell　obstinately　refused　to　accept。

He　died　suddenly　in　the　year　1678；　leaving　behind　him　a　reputation　for　humour　and　satire　which　has　rarely　been　excelled。

Besides　these　poets　and　dramatists；　there　were　other　great　men；　who　as　prose　writers；　helped　to　render　the　literary　history　of　the　period　remarkable　for　its　brilliancy。　　Amongst　these　were　Lord　Clarendon；　High　Chancellor　of　England；　concerning　whom　much　has　already　been　said；　and　Thomas　Hobbs　of　Malmesbury；　better　known　as　author　of　〃The　History　of　the　Causes　of　the　Civil　War；〃　and　of　〃Human　Nature；〃　than　as　a　translator　of　the　Iliad　and　the　Odyssey。　　Dr。　Gilbert　Burnet；　author　of　〃The　History　of　his　Own　Times；〃　and　Dr。　Ralph　Cudworth；　author　of　〃The　True　Intellectual　System　of　the　Universe；〃　were　likewise　men　of　note。　　But　one　whose　name　is　far　more　familiar　than　any　writer　of　his　time　is　John　Bunyan；　author　of　〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress。〃

He　was　the　son　of　a　tinker；　and　was　born　within　a　mile　of　Bedford　town　in　the　year　1628。　　He　imbibed　at　an　early　age　the　spirit　of　Puritanism；　fought　in　the　civil　wars；　took　to　himself　a　wife；　and　turned　preacher。　　Six　months　after　the　merry　monarch　landed；　Bunyan　was　flung　into　Bedford　gaol；　where；　rather　than　refrain　from　puritanical　discourses；　in　the　utterance　of　which　he　believed　himself　divinely　inspired；　he　remained；　with　some　short　intervals　of　liberty；　for　twelve　years。　　When　offered　freedom　at　the　price　of　silence；　he　replied；　〃If　you　let　me　out　to…day；　I　will　preach　to…morrow。〃　　Nay；　even　in　his　confinement　he　delivered　sermons　to　his　fellow…prisoners；　and　presently　he　commenced　to　write。　　His　convictions　leading　him　to　attack　the　liturgy　of　the　Church　of　England；　and　the　religion　of　the　Quakers；　his　productions　became　popular　amongst　dissenters。　　At　length；　by　an　act　annulling　the　penal　statutes　against　Protestant　Nonconformists　and　Roman　Catholics；　passed　in　1671；　he　was　liberated。　　When　he　left　prison　he　carried　with　him　a　portion　of　his　〃Pilgrim's　Progress；〃　which　was　soon　after　completed　and　published；　though　at　what　date　remains　uncertain。　　In　1678　a　second　edition　was　printed；　and　such　was　the　growth　of　its　popularity；　that　six　editions　were　issued　within　the　following　four　years。

Now　he　became　famous；　his　lot　was　far　different　from　what　it　had　been；　his　sermons　were　heard　by　eager　audiences；　his　counsel　was　sought　by　those　in　trouble；　his　prayers　were　regarded　as　the　utterances　of　inspiration。　　Once　a　year　he　rode；　attended　by　vast　crowds；　from　Bedford　Town　to　London　City；　that　he　might　preach　to　those　burdened　by　sin；　and　from　the　capital　he　made　a　circuit　of　the　country；　where　he　was　hailed　as　a　prophet。　　His　life　extended　beyond　the　reign　of　King　Charles；　his　influence　lasted　till　his　death。



CHAPTER　XXII。

Time's　flight　leaves　the　king　unchanged。The　Rye　House　conspiracy。Profligacy　of　the　court。The　three　duchesses。The　king　is　taken　ill。The　capital　in　consternation。Dr。　Ken　questions　his　majesty。A　Benedictine　monk　sent　for。Charles　professes　catholicity　and　receives　the　Sacraments。Farewell　to　all。His　last　night　on　earth。Daybreak　and　death。He　rests　in　peace。

His　majesty's　habits　changed　but　little　with　the　flight　of　time；　To　the　end　of　his　reign　the　court　continued　brilliant　and　profligate。　　Wits；　courtezans；　and　adventurers　crowded　the　royal　drawing…rooms；　and　conversed　without　restraint；　the　monarch　pursued　his　pleasures　with　unsatiated　zest；　taking　to　himself　two　new　mistresses；　Lady　Shannon　and　Catherine　Peg；　who　respectively　bore　him　a　daughter　and　a　son；　duly　created　Countess　of　Yarmouth　and　Earl　of　Plymouth。　　For　a　while；　indeed；　a　shadow　fell　upon　the　life　of　the　merry　monarch；　when；　in　1683；　he　was　roused　to　a　sense　of　danger　by　discovery　of　the　Rye　House　conspiracy。

This　foul　plot；　entered　into　by　the　Whigs　on　failure　of　the　Exclusion　Bill；　had　for　its　object　the　murder　of　his　majesty　and　of　the　Duke　of　York。　　Before　arriving　at　maturity　its　existence　and　intentions　were　revealed　by　one　of　the　conspirators；　when　William　Lord　Russell；　the　Earl　of　Essex；　and　Algernon　Sidney；　second　son　of　the　Earl　of　Leicester；　were　arrested　and　charged　with　high　treason。　　My　Lord　Essex　died　in　the　Tower　by　his　own　hand；　Lord　Russell　was　condemned　on　testimony　of　one　witness；　and　duly　executed；　as　was　likewise　Algernon　Sidney；　whose　writings　on　Republicanism　were　used　as　evidence　against　him。　　On　the　revelation　of　this　wicked　scheme　the　country　became　wildly　excited；　and　the　king　grievously　afflicted。　　A　melancholy　seized　upon　his　majesty；　who　stirred　not　abroad　without　double　guards；　and　the　private　doors　of　Whitehall　and　avenues　of　the　park　were　closed。

From　this　condition；　however；　he　gradually　recovered；　and　resumed　his　usual　habits。　　Accordingly；　we　find　him　engaged　in　〃luxurious　dalliance　and　prophaneness〃　with　the　Duchess　of　Mazarine；　and　visiting　the　Duchess　of　Portsmouth　betimes　in　her　chamber；　where　that　bold　and　voluptuous　woman；　fresh　risen　from　bed；　sat　in　loose　garments　talking　to　the　king　and　his　gallants；　the　while　her　maids　combed　her　beautiful　hair。

〃I　can　never　forget；〃　says　John　Evelyn；　writing　on　the　4th　of　February；　1685；　〃the　inexpressible　luxury　and　prophaneness；　gaming；　and　all　dissoluteness；　and　as　it　were　total　forgetfullnesse　of　God　（it　being　Sunday　evening）；　which　this　day　se'nnight　I　was　witnesse　of；　the　king　sitting　and　toying　with　his　concubines；　Portsmouth；　Cleveland；　and　Mazarine；　etc。；　a　French　boy　singing　love　songs　in　that　glorious　gallery；　whilst　about　twenty　of　the　greate　courtiers　and　other　dissolute　persons　were　at　basset　round　a　large　table；　a　bank　of　at　least　two　thousand　in　gold　before　them；　upon　which　two　gentlemen　who　were　with　me　made　reflexions　with　astonishment。　　Six　days　after　was　all　in　the　dust。〃

For　now　the　end　of　all　things　had　come　for　Charles　Stuart。　　It　happened　on　the　morning　of　the　2nd　of　February；　1685；　the　day　being　Monday；　the　king　whilst　in　his　bedroom　was　seized　by　an　apoplectic　fit；　when　crying　out；　he　fell　back　in　his　chair；　and　lay　as　one　dead。　　Wildly　alarmed；　his　attendants　summoned　Dr。　King；　the　physician　in　waiting；　who　immediately　bled　him；　and　had　him　carried　to　bed。　　Then　tidings　spread　throughout　the　palace；　that　his　majesty　hovered　betwixt　life　and　death；　which　should　claim　him　no　man　might　say。　　Whereon　the　Duk