royalty restored-第26部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

ourted　Mrs。　Middleton　no　more；　but　devoted　himself　to　〃la　belle　Hamilton；〃　who　subsequently　became　his　wife。

Meanwhile；　the　merry　monarch　behaved　as　if　he　had　no　higher　purpose　in　life　than　that　of　following　his　pleasures。　　〃The　king　is　as　decomposed　＇dissipated＇　as　ever；〃　the　lord　chancellor　writes　to　the　Duke　of　Ormond；　in　a　letter　preserved　in　the　Bodleian　library；　〃and　looks　as　little　after　his　business；　which　breaks　my　heart；　and　makes　me　and　other　of　your　friends　weary　of　our　lives。　　He　seeks　for　his　satisfaction　and　delight　in　other　company；　which　do　not　love　him　so　well　as　you　and　I　do。〃　His　days　were　spent　in　pursuing　love；　feasting　sumptuously；　interchanging　wit；　and　enjoying　all　that　seemed　good　to　the　senses。　　Pepys；　who　never　fails　to　make　mention　of　the　court　when　actual　experience　or　friendly　gossip　enables　him；　throws　many　pleasant　lights　upon　the　ways　of　the　monarch　and　his　courtiers。

For　instance；　he　tells　us　that　one　Lord's　daythe　same　on　which　this　excellent　man　had　been　to　Whitehall　chapel；　and　heard　a　sermon　by　the　Dean　of　Ely　on　returning　to　the　old　ways；　and；　moreover；　a　most　tuneful　anthem　sung　by　Captain　Cooke；　with　symphonies　betweenwhom　should　he　meet　but　the　great　chirurgeon；　Mr。　Pierce；　who　carried　him　to　Somerset　House；　and　into　the　queen　mother's　presence…chamber。　　And　there；　on　the　left　hand　of　Henrietta　Maria；　sat　the　young　queen；　whom　Mr。　Pepys　had　never　seen　before；　and　now　thought　that　〃though　she　be　not　very　charming；　yet　she　hath　a　good；　modest；　and　innocent　look；　which　is　pleasing。〃　Here；　likewise；　he　saw　the　king's　mistress；　and　the　young　Duke　of　Monmouth；　〃who；　I　perceive；〃　Pepys　continues；　〃do　hang　much　upon　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　and　is　always　with　her；　and　I　hear　the　queenes；　both　of　them；　are　mighty　kind　to　him。　　By…and…　by　in　comes　the　king；　and　anon　the　duke　and　his　duchesse；　so　that；　they　being　all　together；　was　such　a　sight　as　I　never　could　almost　have　happened　to　see　with　so　much　ease　and　leisure。　　They　staid　till　it　was　dark；　and　then　went　away；　the　king　and　his　queene；　and　my　Lady　Castlemaine　and　young　Crofts；　in　one　coach；　and　the　rest　in　other　coaches。　　Here　were　great　stores　of　great　ladies。　　The　king　and　queen　were　very　merry；　and　he　would　have　made　the　queene　mother　believe　that　the　queene　was　with　child；　and　said　that　she　said　so。　　And　the　young　queene　answered；　'You　lye；'　which　was　the　first　English　word　that　I　ever　heard　her　say；　which　made　the　king　good　sport。〃

Others　besides　Mr。　Pepys　had　begun　to　notice　that　the　young　Duke　of　Monmouth　hung　much　upon　the　Countess　of　Castlemaine；　and　that　her　ladyship　lavished　caresses　upon　him。　　Whether　this　was　to　provoke　the　uneasiness　of　his　majesty；　who　she　hoped　might　find　employment　for　the　lad　elsewhere；　or　to　express　her　genuine　affection　for　him；　it　is　impossible　to　say。　　However；　the　duke　being　come　to　an　age　when　the　endearments　of　such　a　woman　might　have　undesired　effects　upon　him；　the　king　resolved　to　remove　him　from　her　influence；　and　at　the　same　time　secure　his　fortune　by　marriage。

He　therefore　selected　a　bride　for　him；　in　the　person　of　Lady　Anne　Scott；　a　young　gentlewoman　of　virtue　and　excellence；　who　was　only　child　of　Francis；　Earl　of　Buccleugh；　and　the　greatest　heiress　in　Great　Britain。　　Their　nuptials　were　celebrated　on　the　20th　of　April；　1663；　the　bridegroom　at　this　time　not　having　reached　his　fifteenth　birthday；　whilst　the　bride　was　younger　by　a　year。　　The　duke　on　his　marriage　assumed　his　wife's　family　name；　Scott；　and　some　years　laterin　1673both　were　created　Duke　and　Duchess　of　Buccleugh。　　From　this　union　the　family　now　bearing　that　title　has　descended。　　A　great　supper　was　given　at　Whitehall　on　the　marriage…night；　and　for　many　days　there　were　stately　festivities　held　to　celebrate　the　event　with　becoming　magnificence。

Now　at　one　of　the　court　balls　held　at　this　time；　the　woman　of　all　others　who　attracted　most　attention　and　gained　universal　admiration　was　Frances　Stuart；　maid　of　honour　to　Queen　Catherine。　She　was　only　daughter　of　a　gallant　gentleman；　one　Walter　Stuart；　and　grand…daughter　of　Lord　Blantyre。　　Her　family　had　suffered　sore　loss　in　the　cause　of　Charles　I。；　by　reason　of　which；　like　many　others；　it　sought　refuge　in　France。　　This　young　gentlewoman　was　therefore　bred　in　that　country；　and　was；　moreover；　attached　to　the　court　of　the　queen　mother；　in　whose　suite　she　travelled　into　England。　　Her　beauty　was　sufficient　to　attract　the　attention　of　Louis　XIV。；　who；　loath　to　lose　so　fair　an　ornament　from　his　court；　requested　her　mother　would　permit　her　to　remain；　saying；　he　〃loved　her　not　as　a　mistress；　but　as　one　that　would　marry　as　well　as　any　lady　in　France。〃

No　doubt　Mrs。　Stuart　understood　the　motives　of　his　majesty's　interested　kindness；　of　which；　however；　she　declined　availing　herself；　and　therefore　departed　with　her　daughter　for　England。　At　the　time　of　her　appearance　at　Whitehall；　Frances　Stuart　was　in　her　fifteenth　year。　　Even　in　a　court　distinguished　by　the　beauty　of　women；　her　loveliness　was　declared　unsurpassed。　　Her　features　were　regular　and　refined；　her　complexion　fair　as　alabaster；　her　hair　bright　and　luxuriant；　her　eyes　of　violet　hue；　moreover；　her　figure　being　tall；　straight；　and　shapely；　her　movements　possessed　an　air　of　exquisite　grace。　　An　exact　idea　of　her　lineaments　may　be　gained　unto　this　day；　from　the　fact　that　Philip　Rotier；　the　medallist；　who　loved　her　true；　represented　her　likeness　in　the　face　of　Britannia　on　the　reverse　of　coins；　and　so　faithful　was　the　likeness；　we　are　assured；　that　no　one　who　had　ever　seen　her　could　mistake　who　had　sat　as　model　of　the　figure。

Soon　after　her　arrival　in　England；　she　was　appointed　one　of　the　maids　of　honour　to　Queen　Catherine；　and　as　such　was　present　at　all　festivities　of　the　court。　　Now；　at　one　of　the　great　balls　given　in　honour　of　the　Duke　of　Monmouth's　nuptials；　the　fair　Frances　Stuart　appeared　in　the　full　lustre　of　her　charms。　　Her　beauty；　her　grace；　and　her　youth　completely　eclipsed　the　more　showy　gifts　of　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　who　on　this　occasion　looked　pale　and　thin；　she　being　in　the　commencement　of　another　pregnancy；　〃which　the　king　was　pleased　to　place　to　his　own　account。〃　The　merry　monarch　had　before　this　time　been　attracted　by　the　fair　maid　of　honour；　but　now　it　was　evident　his　heart　had　found　a　new　object　of　admiration　in　her　surpassing　beauty。　Henceforth　he　boldly　made　love　to　her。　　The　countess　was　not　much　disturbed　by　this；　for　she　possessed　great　faith　in　her　own　charms　and　implicit　belief　in　her　power　over　the　king。　　Besides；　she　had　sufficient　knowledge　of　mankind　to　comprehend　that　to　offer　opposition　in　pursuit　of　love　is　the　most　certain　method　to　foster　its　growth。　　She　therefore　resolved　to　seek　Miss　Stuart's　society；　cultivate　her　friendship；　and　constantly　bring　her　into　contact　with　his　majesty。　　This　would　not　only　prove　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　court　she　had　no　fear　of　losing　her　sovereignty　over　the　monarch；　but；　by　keeping　him　engaged　with　the　maid　of　honour；　would　likewise　divert　his　attention　from　an　intrigue　the　countess　was　then　carrying　on　with　Henry　Jermyn。　Accordingly；　she　made　overtures　of　friendship　to　Miss　Stuart；　invited　her　to　private　parties；　and　appeared　continually　with　her　in　public。

Concerning　these　ladies　and　the　merry　monarch；　Pepys　narrates　a　strange　story　which　Captain　Ferrers　told　him　as　they　〃walked　finely〃　in　the　park。　　This　was；　that　at　an　entertainment　given　by　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　towards　the　end　of　which　his　majesty　played　at　being　married　with　fair　Frances　Stuart；　〃with　ring　and　all　other　ceremonies　of　Church　service；　and　ribbands；　and　a　sack　posset　＇A　drink　composed　of　milk；　wine；　and　spices。＇　in　bed；　and　flinging　the　stocking。　　My　Lady　Castlemaine　looked　on　the　while；　evincing　neither　anger　nor　jealousy；　but　entering　into　the　diversion　with　great　spirit。〃　　Nor　was　this　the　only　indiscretion　of　which　she　was　culpable；　for；　in　the　full　confidence　of　her　charms；　she　frequently　kept　Miss　Stuart　to　stay　with　her。　　〃The　king；〃　says　Hamilton；　〃who　seldom　neglected　to　visit　the　countess　before　she　rose；　seldom　failed　likewise　to　find　Miss　Stuart　with　her。　　The　most　indifferent　objects　have　charms　in　a　new　attachment；　however；　the　imprudent　countess　was　not　jealous　of　this　rival's　appearing　with　her；　in　such　a　situation；　being　confident　that；　whenever　she　thought　fit；　she　could　triumph　over　all　the　advantages　which　these　opportunities　could　afford　Miss　Stuart。〃

No　doubt　Lady　Castlemaine's　imprudences　arose　from　knowledge　that　Miss　Stuart　was　devoid　of　tact；　and　incapable　of　turning　opportunities　to　her　own　advantage　in　the　king's　regard。　　For　though　the　maid　of　honour　was　richly　endowed　with　beauty；　she　was　wholly　devoid　of　wit。　　She　was　not　only　a　child　in　years；　but　likewise　in　behaviour。　　She　laughed　at　every　remark　made　her；　delighted　in　playing　blind　man's　buff；　and　was　never　more　happy　than　when　building　castles　of　cards。　　At　this　latter　amusement　she　continually　employed　herself　whilst　the　deepest　play　was　taking　place　in　her　apartments；　being　always　attended　by　groups　of　courtiers；　who　were　either　attracted　by　the　charm　of　her　beauty；　or　were　eager　to　make　court　through　her　favour。　　As　she　sat　upon　the　floor；　intent　on　her　favourite　occupation；　they　on　their　knees　handed　her　cards；