royalty restored-第17部分

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　Cardinal　de　Retz。　In　his　interesting　Memoirs　he　tells　of　a　visit　he　paid　the　queen　mother；　then　an　exile　in　Paris。　　He　found　her　with　her　youngest　daughter；　Henrietta；　in　the　chamber　of　the　latter。　　〃At　my　coming　in；〃　says　the　Cardinal；　〃she　（the　queen）　said；　'You　see；　I　am　come　to　keep　Henrietta　company；　the　poor　child　could　not　rise　to…day　for　want　of　a　fire。'　The　truth　is；　that　the　Cardinal　（Mazarin）　for　six　months　together　had　not　ordered　her　any　money　towards　her　pension；　that　no　tradespeople　would　trust　her　for　anything　and　there　was　not　at　her　lodgings　a　single　billet。　　You　will　do　me　the　justice　to　think　that　the　princess　of　England　did　not　keep　her　bed　the　next　day　for　want　of　a　faggot。　。　。　Posterity　will　hardly　believe　that　a　princess　of　England；　grand…daughter　to　Henry　the　Great；　hath　wanted　a　faggot　in　the　month　of　January；　in　the　Louvre；　and　in　the　eyes　of　the　French　court。〃＇　　Pepys　records　that　the　marriage　of　her　majesty　to　the　earl　was　commonly　talked　of　at　the　restoration；　and　he　likewise　mentions　it　was　rumoured　〃that　they　had　a　daughter　between　them　in　France。　　How　true；〃　says　this　gossip；　〃God　knows。〃

The　earl's　nephew；　Henry　Jermyn；　is　described　as　having　a　big　head　and　little　legs；　an　affected　carriage；　and　a　wit　consisting　〃in　expressions　learned　by　rote；　which　he　occasionally　employed　either　in　raillery　or　love。〃　　For　all　that；　he　being　a　man　of　amorous　disposition；　the　number　of　his　intrigues　was　no　less　remarkable　than　the　rank　of　those　who　shared　them。　　Most　notable　amongst　his　conquests　was　the　king's　eldest　sister；　widow　of　the　Prince　of　Orangea　lady　possessing　in　no　small　degree　natural　affections　for　which　her　illustrious　family　were　notorious。　During　the　exile　of　Charles　II。；　Henry　Jermyn　had　made　a　considerable　figure　at　her　court　in　Holland　by　reason　of　the　splendour　of　his　equipage；　entirely　supported　by　his　uncle's　wealth；　he　had　likewise　made　a　forcible　impression　on　her　heart　by　virtue　of　the　ardour　of　his　addresses；　wholly　sustained　by　his　own　effrontery。　　The　effect　of　his　presence　on　the　princess　soon　became　visible　to　the　court。　　Rumour　whispered　that　as　Lord　St。　Albans　had　already　made　an　alliance　with　royalty；　his　nephew　had　likewise　followed　his　example；　but　scandal　declared　that　young　Jermyn　and　the　princess　had　omitted　the　ceremony　which　should　have　sanctioned　their　happiness。　　The　reputation　of　such　an　amour　gained　him　the　immediate　attention　of　many　women；　whose　interest　in　his　character　increased　with　the　knowledge　of　his　abilities；　and　helped　to　associate　him　in　their　memories　with　tenderest　emotions。

Another　figure　prominent　in　this　gay　and　goodly　assembly　was　George　Villiers；　second　Duke　of　Buckingham。　　The　faultless　beauty　of　his　face；　and　graceful　symmetry　of　his　figure；　would　have　rendered　him　distinguished　in　a　court　less　sensuously　impressionable　to　physical　perfection；　even　if　his　talents　had　not　dazzled；　and　his　wit　amused。　　On　the　death　of　the　first　Duke　of　Buckingham；　〃styled　the　handsomest　bodied　man　in　England；〃　the　late　king　of　pious　memory　undertook　the　charge　of　the　young　duke；　and　had　him　educated　with　his　own　sons。　　Subsequently　he　was　sent　to　Cambridge；　and　then　travelled　into　France；　the　better　to　acquire　that　polish　of　manner　and　grace　of　bearing　for　which　he　became　distinguished。　　But；　whilst　abroad；　word　was　brought　him　of　the　distress　of　his　master；　the　king；　on　which　the　young　duke　hastened　back　into　England；　became　a　cavalier；　and　fought　his　majesty's　battles　with　great　gallantry。　　Soon　after　Charles　I。　had　been　beheaded；　his　faithful　servitor　went　abroad；　but　being　loyal　to　the　Stuart　cause；　he　journeyed　with　Charles　II。　to　Scotland；　and　afterwards　fought　beside　him　in　the　bloody　battle　of　Worcester。　　Whilst　the　monarch　was　hiding　in　Boscobel　Wood；　the　duke　betook　himself　to　London；　where；　donning　a　wizard's　mask；　a　jack…pudding　coat；　a　hat　adorned　with　a　fox's　tail　and　cock's　feathers；　he　masqueraded　as　a　mountebank；　and　discoursed　diverting　nonsense　from　a　stage　erected　at　Charing　Cross。　　After　running　several　risks；　he　escaped　to　France。　　But　alas　for　the　duke；　who　was　born　as　Madame　Dunois　avows；　doubtless　from　experience〃for　gallantry　and　magnificence；〃　he　was　now　penniless；　his　great　estates　being　confiscated　by　Cromwell。　However；　conceiving　a　scheme　that　might　secure　him　part　of　his　fortune；　he　hastened　to　put　it　into　execution。

It　happened　that　my　Lord　Fairfax；　one　of　Cromwell's　great　generals；　had　allotted　to　him　by　the　Protector　a　portion　of　the　Buckingham　estates　that　returned　five　thousand　pounds　a　year。　The　general　was；　moreover；　placed　in　possession　of　York　House；　which　had　likewise　belonged　to　his　grace。

Now　it　happened　Lord　Fairfax；　a　generous…tempered　man　and　brave　soldier；　had　an　only　child；　a　daughter　destined　to　become　his　heiress；　aware　of　which　the　duke　resolved　to　marry　her；　that　he　might　in　this　manner　recover　portion　of　his　estate。　　The　fact　of　the　lady　never　having　seen　him　did　not　interfere　with　his　plans；　that　she　would　reject　his　suit　seemed　an　impossibility；　that　she　would　succumb　to　the　fascination　he　invariably　exercised　over　woman　was　a　certainty。　　Nor　did　it　matter　that　Mistress　Fairfax　was　no　beauty；　for　the　duke；　being　grateful　for　past　favours　liberally　bestowed　by　the　opposite　sex；　had　no　intention　of　becoming　under　any　circumstances　churlish　enough　to　limit　his　devotion　to　one　lady；　though　she　were　his　wife。

Carefully　disguising　himself；　he　journeyed　to　London；　where　he　was　met　by　a　faithful　friend；　who　promised　he　would　aid　him　in　winning　Mistress　Fairfax；　towards　which　end　he　promptly　introduced　the　duke　to　that　estimable　gentlewoman。　　Having　once　obtained　speech　of　her；　the　remainder　of　his　scheme　was　comparatively　easy　of　accomplishment。　　She　loved　the　gay　and　graceful　gallant　at　first　sight；　and　through　years　of　bitter　wrong　and　cruel　neglect　continued　his　faithful　and　devoted　slave。

Though　she　had　become　clandestinely　acquainted　with　him；　she　was　too　good　a　daughter　to　wed　without　her　father's　consent。　　But　this　she　had　not　much　difficulty　in　obtaining。　　Though　Lord　Fairfax　had　fought　against　his　king；　he　was　not　sufficiently　republican　to　scorn　alliance　with　nobility；　nor　so　thoroughly　puritan　as　to　disdain　connection　with　the　ungodly。　　Accordingly　he　gave　his　sanction　to　the　union；　which　was　celebrated　at　his　mansion　at　Nun　Appleton；　within　six　miles　of　York。　　Now；　my　Lord　Fairfax　had　not　consulted　Cromwell's　goodwill　concerning　this　alliance；　the　news　of　which　reaching　the　Protector　in　due　time；　made　him　exceedingly　wroth。　　For　he　had　daughters　to　marry；　and；　that　he　might　strengthen　his　power；　was　desirous　of　wedding　them　to　scions　of　nobility；　Buckingham　being　one　of　those　whom　he　had　mentally　selected　to　become　a　member　of　his　family。　　His　anger　was　therefore　at　once　directed　against　Fairfax　and　his　grace。　The　former　he　could　not　molest；　but　the　latter　he　committed　to　the　Tower；　and　if　the　great　Protector　had　not　been　soon　after　seized　by　fatal　illness；　the　duke　would　have　made　his　last　journey　from　thence　to　Tower　Hill。　　As　it　fell　out　he　remained　a　prisoner　until　within　a　year　of　the　coming　of　Charles；　whom　he　welcomed　with　exceeding　joy。　　Being　bred　with　the　merry　monarch；　he　had　from　boyhood　been　a　favourite　of　his　majesty；　with　whom　he　shared　a　common　love　for　diversion。　　He　was；　therefore；　from　the　first　a　prominent　figure　at　Whitehall；　his　handsome　person　and　extravagant　dress　adorned　the　court；　his　brilliant　wit　and　poignant　satire　amused　the　royal　circle。

His　grace；　however；　had　a　rival；　the　vivacity　of　whose　temper　and　piquancy　of　whose　humour　went　far　to　eclipse　Buckingham's　talent　in　these　directions。　　This　was　the　young　Earl　of　Rochester；　son　of　my　Lord　Wilmot；　who　had　so　successfully　aided　the　king's　escape　after　the　battle　of　Worcester；　for　which　service　he　had　been　created　Earl　of　Rochester　by　Charles　in　Paris。　　That　worthy　man　dying　just　a　year　previous　to　the　restoration；　his　son　succeeded　to　his　titles；　and　likewise　to　an　estate　which　had　been　preserved　for　him　by　the　prudence　of　his　mother。　　Even　in　his　young　days　Lord　Rochester　gave　evidence　of　possessing　a　lively　wit　and　remarkable　genius；　which　were　cultivated　by　his　studies　at　Oxford　and　his　travels　abroad。　　So　that　at　the　age　of　eighteen；　when　he　returned　to　England　and　presented　himself　at　Whitehall；　his　sprightly　parts　won　him　the　admiration　of　courtiers　and　secured　him　the　favour　of　royalty。　　Nor　was　the　young　earl　less　distinguished　by　his　wit　and　learning　than　by　his　face　and　figure；　the　delicate　beauty　of　his　features　and　natural　grace　of　his　person　won　him　the　love　of　many　women；　whom　the　tenderness　of　his　heart　and　generosity　of　his　youth　did　not　permit　him　to　leave　unrequited。

Soon　surfeited　by　his　conquests　in　the　drawing…room；　he　was　anxious　to　extend　his　triumphs　in　another　direction；　and；　selecting　the　sea　as　a　scene　of　action；　he　volunteered　to　sail　under　my　Lord　Sandwich　in　quest　of　the　Dutch　East　Indian　fleet。　At　the　engagements　to　which　this　led　he　exhibited　a　dauntless　courage　that　earned　him　renown　abroad；　and　covered　him　with　honour　on　his　return　to　court。　　From　that　time　he；　for　many　years；　surrendered　himself　to　a　career　of　dissipation；　often　abandoning　the　paths　of　decency　and　decorum；　purs