royalty restored-第15部分

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ffices；　and　settled　in　his　residence　at　Worcester　House　in　the　Strand；　sent　for　his　wife　and　children；　the　more　speedily　as　he　had　received　an　overture　from　a　noble　family；　on　behalf　of　〃a　hopeful；　well…bred　young　gentleman；〃　who　expressed　himself　anxious　to　wed　with　Mistress　Anne。

The　same　young　lady　had　not　long　returned；　when　she　informed　her　husband　she　was　about　to　become　a　mother；　whereon　the　duke；　seeking　the　king；　fell　upon　his　knees　before　him；　laid　bare　his　secret；　and　besought　him　to　sanction　his　union；　〃that　he　might　publicly　marry　in　such　a　manner　as　his　majesty　thought　necessary　for　the　consequence　thereof；〃　adding　that；　if　consent　were　refused；　he　would　〃immediately　take　leave　of　the　kingdom　and　spend　his　life　in　foreign　parts。〃　　King　Charles　was　astonished　and　perplexed　by　this　confession。　　James　was　heir；　and　as　such　it　behoved　him　to　wed　with　one　suited；　by　reason　of　her　lineage；　to　support　the　dignity　of　the　crown；　and　calculated　by　her　relation　towards　foreign　powers　to　strengthen　the　influence　of　the　throne。　The　duke　was　fully　aware　of　this；　and；　moreover；　knew　he　could　without　much　difficulty　have　his　marriage　annulled；　but　that　he　did　not　adopt　this　course　was　an　honourable　trait　in　his　character；　and；　indeed；　his　conduct　and　that　of　the　king　was　most　creditable　throughout　the　transactions　which　followed；　an　account　of　which　is　set　forth　with　great　minuteness　in　the　〃Continuation　of　Edward　Hyde；　Lord　Clarendon's　Life。〃

Without　the　advice　of　his　council；　the　king　could　give　no　satisfactory　reply　to　his　brother。　　He　therefore　summoned　two　of　his　trusty　friends；　the　Marquis　of　Ormond　and　the　Earl　of　Southampton；　whom　he　informed　of　the　duke's　marriage；　requesting　them　to　communicate　the　same　to　the　chancellor；　and　return　with　him　for　private　consultation。　　The　good　man's　surprise　at　this　news　concerning　his　daughter　was；　according　to　his　own　account；　exceeding　great；　and　was　only　equalled　by　his　vast　indignation。　His　loyalty　towards　the　royal　family　was　so　fervent　that　it　overlooked　his　affection　to　his　child。　　He　therefore　fell　into　a　violent　passion；　protested　against　her　wicked　presumption；　and　advised　that　the　king　〃should　immediately　cause　the　woman　to　be　sent　to　the　Tower；　and　to　be　cast　into　a　dungeon；　under　so　strict　a　guard　that　no　person　should　be　admitted　to　come　to　her；　and　then　that　an　act　of　parliament　should　be　immediately　passed　for　the　cutting　off　her　head；　to　which　he　would　not　only　give　his　consent；　but　would　very　willingly　be　the　first　man　that　should　propose　it。〃　　All　this　he　presently　repeated　to　the　king；　and　moreover；　assured　him　an　example　of　the　highest　severity；　in　a　case　so　nearly　concerning　himself；　would　serve　as　a　warning　that　others　might　take　heed　of　offences　committed　against　his　regal　dignity。

News　of　this　marriage　spread　throughout　the　court　with　rapidity；　and　caused　the　utmost　excitement；　which　in　a　little　while　was　somewhat　abated　by　the　announcement　that　the　king's　youngest　brother；　Henry；　Duke　of　Gloucester；　was　taken　ill　of　small…pox。　This　young　prince；　who　is　described　as　〃a　pretty　boy；〃　possessed　parts　which　bade　fair　to　surpass　his　brothers。　　He　was　indeed　associated　by　his　family　with　their　tenderest　memories；　inasmuch　as　he　had　been　with　his　father　on　the　sad　day　previous　to　his　execution。　　On　that　melancholy　occasion；　Charles　I。　had　taken　him　upon　his　knee；　and　said　to　him　very　tenderly；　〃Sweetheart；　they　will　cut　off　thy　father's　head；〃　at　which　the　boy　shuddered　and　turned　pale。　　〃Mark；　child；　what　I　say；〃　continued　the　unhappy　king；　〃they　will　cut　off　my　head；　and；　perhaps；　make　thee　a　king；　but　mark　what　I　say；　you　must　not　be　made　king　as　long　as　your　brothers　Charles　and　James　are　alive；　for　they　will　cut　off　thy　brothers'　heads　when　they　catch　them；　and　cut　off　thy　head　at　last；　and　therefore　I　charge　you　not　to　be　made　a　king　by　them。〃　To　which　the　lad　replied　very　earnestly）　〃I　will　be　torn　in　pieces　first。〃　　Sometime　after　the　death　of　his　father　he　was　allowed　to　join　his　family　in　France；　and；　like　his　brother　James；　entered　the　army　of　that　country。　　On　the　restoration；　he　had　returned　with　the　king；　and；　three　months　later；　this　〃prince　of　very　extraordinary　hopes〃　died；　grievously　lamented　by　the　court；　and　especially　by　his　majesty；　who　declared　he　felt　this　loss　more　than　any　other　which　had　previously　fallen　upon　him。

Scarcely　had　he　been　laid　to　rest　in　the　vault　containing　the　dust　of　Mary　Queen　of　Scots　and　Lady　Arabella　Stuart；　when　the　Princess　of　Orange　arrived　in　England　to　pay　the　king　a　visit　of　ceremony。　　No　sooner　was　she　settled　at　court；　than　rumour　of　her　brother's　marriage　reached　her；　on　which　she　became　outrageous；　but　her　wrath　was　far　exceeded　by　that　of　the　queen　mother；　who；　on　hearing　the　news；　wrote　to　the　duke　expressing　her　indignation　〃that　he　should　have　such　low　thoughts　as　to　marry　such　a　woman。〃　The　epistle　containing　this　sentence　was　at　once　shown　by　James　to　his　wife；　whom　he　continually　saw　and　spent　much　time　with；　unknown　to　her　father；　who　had　given　orders　she　should　keep　her　chamber。　　Parliament　now　sat；　but　no　mention　was　made　of　the　duke's　marriage　by　either　House；　and；　inasmuch　as　the　union　so　nearly　concerned　the　nation；　this　silence　caused　considerable　surprise。　　It　was　surmised　the　delay　was　made　in　deference　to　the　feelings　of　the　queen　mother；　who　at　this　juncture　set　out　for　England；　to　prevent　what　she　was　pleased　to　term　〃so　great　a　stain　and　dishonour　to　the　crown。〃　　The　king　regarded　his　brother's　alliance　in　a　lenient　spirit；　and　not　only　spoke　of　it　frequently　before　the　court；　but　expressed　his　desire　of　bringing　the　indiscretion　to　a；　happy　conclusion　by　a　public　acknowledgment。

The　queen　mother；　being　an　ambitious　woman；　had　cherished　certain　schemes　for　extending　the　power　of　her　family　by　the　respective　marriages　of　her　sons；　which　the　duke's　union　was；　of　course；　calculated　to　curtail。　　She　therefore　regarded　his　wife　with　the　bitterest　disdain。　　Whenever　that　woman　should　be　brought　into　Whitehall　by　one　door；　her　majesty　declared　she　would　leave　it　by　another　and　never　enter　it　again。　　The　marriage　was　rendered　all　the　more　disagreeable　to　the　queen；　because　the　object　of　her　son's　choice　was　daughter　of　the　lord　chancellor；　whose　influence　over　Charles　II。　had　frequently　opposed　her　plans　in　the　past；　and　threatened　to　prevent　their　realization　in　the　future。　　The　monarch；　however；　paid　little　attention　to　his　mother's　indignation。　　He　was　resolved　no　disgrace　which　he　could　hinder　should　fall　upon　the　family　of　one　who　had　served　him　with　disinterested　loyalty；　and；　by　way　of　proving　his　friendship　towards　the　chancellor　on　the　present　occasion；　he；　before　setting　out　to　meet　his　mother　on　her　arrival　at　Dover；　presented　him　with　twenty　thousand　pounds；　and　left　a　signed　warrant　for　creating　him　a　baron；　which　he　desired　the　attorney…general　to　have　ready　to　pass　the　seals　at　his　return。

In　the　meantime　a　wicked　plot；　for　the　purpose　of　lessening　James's　affection　for　his　wife；　and　ultimately　preventing　the　acknowledgment　of　his　marriage；　was　promoted　by　the　chancellor's　enemies　and　the　duke's　friends；　principal　amongst　whom　were　the　Princess　of　Orange　and　Sir　Charles　Berkley；　〃a　fellow　of　great　wickedness；〃　Sir　Charles　was　his　royal　highness's　most　trusted　friend；　and　was；　moreover；　devoted　to　the　service　of　the　princess　and　her　mother。　　He　therefore　determined　to　hinder　the　duke　from　taking　a　step　which　he　was　of　opinion　would　injure　him　irretrievably。　　Accordingly；　when　James　spoke　in　confidence　concerning　his　marriage；　Sir　Charles　told　him　it　was　wholly　invalid；　inasmuch　as　it　had　taken　place　without　the　king's　consent；　and　that　a　union　with　the　daughter　of　an　insignificant　lawyer　was　not　to　be　thought　of　by　the　heir　to　the　crown。　Moreover；　he　hinted　he　could　a　tale　unfold　regarding　her　behaviour。　　At　this　the　duke　became　impatient　to　hear　what　his　good　friend　had　to　say；　whereon　that　valiant　gentleman　boasted；　with　an　air　of　bravery　and　truth；　of　certain　gallantries　which　had　passed　between　him　and　the　lady。　　On　hearing　this；　James；　being　credulous　was　sorely　depressed。　　He　ceased　to　visit　his　wife；　withdrew　from　general　company；　and　so　well　did　Sir　Charles's　scheme　succeed；　that　before　the　queen's　arrival；　the　duke　had　decided　on　denying　his　marriage　with　one　who　had　brought　him　dishonour。　　The　king；　however；　put　no　faith　in　these　aspersions；　he　felt　sure　〃there　was　a　wicked　conspiracy　set　on　foot　by　villains。〃

It　therefore　happened　the　queen　was　spared　the　trouble　she　had　anticipated　with　her　son；　indeed；　he　humbly　begged　her　pardon　for　〃having　placed　his　affections　so　unequally；　of　which　he　was　sure　there　was　now　an　end〃a　confession　most　gratifying　to　her　majesty。　　The　duke's　bitter　depression　continued；　and　was　soon　increased　by　the　death　of　his　sister；　the　Princess　of　Orange；　which　was　occasioned　by　smallpox　on　the　23rd　of　December；　1660。　In　her　last　agonies　Lord　Clarendon　says　〃she　expressed　a　dislike　of　the　proceedings　in　that　affair；　to　which　she　had　contributed　too　much。〃　　This　fact；　together　with　his　royal　highness's　unhappiness；　had　due　weight　on　Sir　Charles　Berkley；　who　began　to　repent　of　the　calumnies　he　had　spoken。　　Accordingly；　the　〃lewd　informer〃　went