royalty restored-第23部分

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water　was；〃　she　would　never　endure　the　presence　of　his　mistress；　and　rather　than　submit　to　such　insult　she　would　〃put　herself　on　board　any　little　vessel〃　and　return　to　Lisbon。

Back　went　the　chancellor；　with　a　heavy　heart　and　a　troubled　face；　to　the　king。　　He　softened　the　queen's　words　as　much　as　possible；　and　assured　his　majesty　her　resistance　to　his　will　proceeded　〃from　the　great　passion　of　love　she　had　for　him；　which　transported　her　beyond　the　limits　of　reason。〃　　But　this　excuse；　which　should　have　rejoiced　a　husband's　heart；　only　irritated　his　majesty's　temper。　　That　night　a　violent　quarrel　took　place　between　the　husband　and　wife；　yet　scarce　more　than　bride　and　bridegroom。　　When　they　had　retired；　the　kingbeing　inflamed　with　the　words　of　his　courtiers；　who　assured　him　the　dispute　had　now　resolved　itself　into　a　question　of　who　should　governreproached　the　queen　with　stubbornness　and　want　of　duty；　upon　which　she　answered　by　charging　him　with　tyranny　and　lack　of　affection。　　One　word　borrowed　another；　till；　in　his　anger；　he　used　threats　when　she　declared　she　would　leave　the　kingdom。　　〃The　passion　and　noise　of　the　night　reached　too　many　ears　to　be　a　secret　the　next　day；〃　says　the　chancellor；　〃and　the　whole　court　was　full　of　that　which　ought　to　have　been　known　to　nobody。〃

When　the　royal　pair　met　next　morning；　they　neither　looked　at　nor　spoke　to　each　other。　　Days　passed　full　of　depression　and　gloom　for　the　young　wife；　who　spent　most　of　her　time　in　seclusion；　whilst　the　king　sought　distraction　in　the　society　of　his　courtiers。　　The　chancellor；　after　his　second　interview　with　the　queen；　absented　himself　from　court；　not　wishing　to　be　furthermore　drawn　into　a　quarrel　which　he　saw　himself　powerless　to　heal。　During　his　absence　the　king　wrote　him　a　letter　which　evinced　determination　to　carry　out　his　design。　　This　epistle；　preserved　in　the　library　of　the　British　Museum；　runs　as　follows：

〃HAMPTON　COURT；　THURSDAY　MORNING。

〃I　forgot　when　you　were　here　last　to　desire　you　to　give　Broderich　good　council　not　to　meddle　any　more　with　what　concerns　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　and　to　let　him　have　a　care　how　he　is　the　author　of　any　scandalous　reports；　for　if　I　find　him　guilty　of　any　such　thing；　I　will　make　him　repent　it　to　the　last　moment　of　his　life。

〃And　now　I　am　entered　on　this　matter；　I　think　it　very　necessary　to　give　you　a　little　good　council　in　it；　lest　you　may　think　that　by　making　a　farther　stir　in　the　business　you　may　divert　me　from　my　resolution；　which　all　the　world　shall　never　do；　and　I　wish　I　may　be　unhappy　in　this　world　and　in　the　world　to　come；　if　I　fail　in　the　least　degree　of　what　I　have　resolved；　which　is　of　making　my　Lady　Castlemaine　of　my　wife's　bedchamber。　　And　whosoever　I　find　in　any　endeavours　to　hinder　this　resolution　of　mine　（except　it　be　only　to　myself）；　I　will　be　his　enemy　to　the　last　moment　of　my　life。　　You　know　how　true　a　friend　I　have　been　to　you；　if　you　will　oblige　me　eternally；　make　this　business　as　easy　to　me　as　you　can；　of　what　opinion　soever　you　are　of；　for　I　am　resolved　to　go　through　with　this　matter；　let　what　will　come　on　it；　which　again　I　solemnly　swear　before　Almighty　God。

〃Therefore；　if　you　desire　to　have　the　continuance　of　my　friendship；　meddle　no　more　with　this　business　except　it　be　to　bear　down　all　false　and　scandalous　reports；　and　to　facilitate　what　I　am　sure　my　honour　is　so　much　concerned　in。　　And　whosoever　I　find　is　to　be　my　Lady　Castlemaine's　enemy　in　this　matter；　I　do　promise；　upon　my　word；　to　be　his　enemy　as　long　as　I　live。　　You　may　show　this　letter　to　my　lord　lieutenant；　and　if　you　have　both　a　mind　to　oblige　me；　carry　yourselves　like　friends　to　me　in　this　matter。〃

The　chancellor　was；　soon　after　the　receipt　of　this　letter；　summoned　to　Hampton　Court；　when　his　majesty；　with　some　passion；　declared　the　quarrel　was　spoken　of　everywhere；　and　wholly　to　his　disadvantage。　　He　was　therefore　anxious　to　end　it　at　once；　and　commanded　my　lord　to　wait　again　upon　the　queen；　and　persuade　her　to　his　wishes。　　The　chancellor　informed　the　king　he　〃had　much　rather　spend　his　pains　in　endeavouring　to　convert　his　majesty　from　pursuing　his　resolution；　which　he　did　in　his　conscience　believe　to　be　unjust；　than　in　persuading　her　majesty　to　comply　with　it；　which　yet　he　would　very　heartily　do。〃　　Saying　which；　he　departed　on　his　errand；　to　which　the　queen　answered；　her　conscience　would　not　allow　her　to　consent　that　the　king's　mistress　should　be　one　of　her　attendants。　　Then　the　chancellor　besought　his　royal　master；　saying　he　hoped　he　might　be　no　more　consulted　with；　nor　employed　concerning　an　affair；　in　which　he　had　been　so　unsuccessful。

By　reason　of　this　opposition　the　king　was　now　more　resolved　than　ever　to　honour　his　mistress　and　humble　his　wife；　and；　with　a　cruelty　unusual　to　his　nature；　determined　to　break　her　majesty's　spirit；　and　force　her　into　obedience。

On　coming　to　England　the　young　bride　had　brought　in　her　train　some　Portuguese　gentlewomen　and　nobles；　whom　she　was　anxious　to　employ　in　various　offices　about　her　person；　that　she　might　not　feel　quite　in　the　midst　of　strangers。　　These　his　majesty　believed　were　in　some　measure　answerable　for　the　queen's　resistance　to　his　desires；　and　therefore　decided　on　sending　them　back　to　their　own　country；　knowing　moreover；　this　was　an　act　which　would　sorely　grieve　her　majesty。　　Therefore；　without　first　deigning　to　inform；　the　Queen　of　Portugal；　he　named　a　day　for　them　to　embark。　　This　was　a　sad　blow　to　the　hopes　of　the　Portuguese；　who　had　entertained　high　expectations　of　being　placed　in　advantageous　circumstances　about　the　court；　nor　did　the　king　by　any　show　of　liberality　help　to　lessen　their　disappointment。　　The　queen　was　indeed　afflicted　at　the　prospect　of　their　loss；　and　her　mortification　was　the　greater　because；　having　received　no　money　since　she　came　into　the　kingdom；　it　was　out　of　her　power　to　make　them　compensation　for　their　services。

The　thought　of　being　deprived　of　her　people　in　her　present　unhappy　condition　rendered　her　so　miserable；　that　she　besought　the　king　to　allow　some　of　them　to　remain；　and；　likewise；　she　employed　others　to　make　the　same　petition　on　her　behalf。　Therefore　one　of　her　ladies；　the　Countess　of　Penalva；　who　had　been　her　attendant　since　childhood；　and　who　now；　because　of　weakness　of　sight　and　other　infirmities；　scarce　ever　left　her　apartments；　was　allowed　to　stay；　as　were　likewise　〃those　necessary　to　her　religion；〃　and　some　servants　employed　in　her　kitchen。

But　these　were　not　the　only　means　the　king　took　to　thwart　her　majesty　and　all　connected　with　her。　　He　upbraided　the　Portuguese　ambassador　for　not　having　instructed　the　queen　〃enough　to　make　her　unconcerned　in　what　had　been　before　her　time；　and　in　which　she　could　not　reasonably　be　concerned。〃　　Moreover　he　reproached　him　with　the　fact　of　the　queen　regent　having　sent　only　half　the　marriage　portion；　and　so　harassed　was　the　ambassador　by　royal　wrath；　that　he　took　to　his　bed；　〃and　sustained　such　a　fever　as　brought　him　to　the　brink　of　the　grave。〃　　Regarding　that　part　of　the　dowry　which　had　arrived；　Charles　behaved　in　an　equally　ungracious　and　undignified　manner。　　He　instructed　the　officers　of　the　revenue　to　use　all　strictness　in　its　valuation；　and　not　make　any　allowances。　　And　because　Diego　de　Silvawhom　the　queen　had　designed　for　her　treasurer；　and　who　on　that　account　had　undertaken　to　see　the　money　paid　in　Londondid　not　make　sufficient　haste　in　the　settlement　of　his　accounts；　he　was　by　the　king's　command　cast　into　prison。

These　various　affronts　grievously　afflicted　her　majesty；　but　the　insults　she　had　to　endure　before　the　whole　court　wounded　her　far　more。　　For　meanwhile　the　king　lodged　his　mistress　in　the　royal　household；　and　every　day　she　was　present　in　the　drawing…room；　when　his　majesty　entered　into　pleasant　conversation　with　her；　while　his　wife　sat　patiently　by；　as　wholly　unheeded　as　if　unseen。　When　the　queen　occasionally　rose　and　indignantly　left　the　apartment　to　relieve　her　anguish　by　a　storm　of　tears；　it　may　be　one　or　two　of　the　courtiers　followed　her；　but　the　vast　number　of　the　brilliant　throng　remained；　and　Lord　Clarendon　adds；　〃they；　too；　often　said　those　things　aloud　which　nobody　ought　to　have　whispered。〃

Charles　no　longer　appeared　with　the　grave　and　troubled　expression　his　face　had　worn　at　the　commencement　of　the　quarrel；　but　seemed　full　of　pleasantry　and　eager　for　enjoyment。　　Those　surrounding　him　took　their　tone　from　the　monarch；　and　followed　his　example　the　more　because　he　〃did　shew　no　countenance　to　any　that　belong　to　the　queen。〃　　Her　majesty；　on　the　contrary；　took　her　misery　to　heart；　and　showed　dejection　by　the　sadness　of　her　face　and　listlessness　of　her　gait。　　There　was　universal　diversion　in　all　company　but　hers；　sounds　of　laughter　rang　all　day　and　far　into　the　night　in　every　apartment　of　the　palace　but　those　appropriated　to　her　use。　　Charles　steadily　avoided　her；　and　the　attendants　who　replaced　her　countrywomen　showed　more　deference　to　the　king's　mistress　than　to　his　queen。　　The　solitary　condition　to　which　the　helpless　foreigner　and　forsaken　wife　was　reduced　increased　day　by　day；　her　gloom　deepened　hour　by　hour；　until；　worn　out　by　the　unequal　conflict；　her　spirit　broke。　　〃At　last；〃　says　Lord　Clarendon；　〃when　it　was　least　expected　or　suspected；　the　queen　on　a　sudden　let　herself　fall；　fi