royalty restored-第36部分

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them　calculated　to　disturb　the　nation's　peace；　which　fact　becoming　known；　he　was　obliged　to　seek　refuge　in　Scotland。　　Here　he　found　fresh　employment　for　his　restless　energies；　and　in　the　year　1666　succeeded　in　stirring　up　some　malcontents　to　rebellion。　The　revolt　being　quelled；　he　escaped　to　Ireland；　and　after　a　short　stay　in　that　country　returned　once　more　to　England；　where　he　sought　security　in　disguise。

He　lived　here　in　peace　until　1670；　when　he　made　an　attempt　no　less　remarkable　for　its　ingenuity　than　notable　for　its　villainy。　Towards　the　end　of　that　year　the　Prince　of　Orange；　being　in　London；　was　invited　by　the　lord　mayor　to　a　civic　banquet。　Thither　the　Duke　of　Ormond　attended　him；　and　subsequently　accompanied　him　to　St。　James's；　where　the　prince　then　stayed。　　A　short　distance　from　the　palace　gates　stood　Clarendon　House；　where　the　duke　then　resided；　and　towards　which　he　immediately　drove；　on　taking　leave　of　his　royal　highness。　　Scarce　had　he　proceeded　a　dozen　yards　up　St。　James's　Street；　when　his　coach　was　suddenly　stopped　by　a　band　of　armed　and　mounted　men；　who；　hurriedly　surrounding　his　grace；　dragged　him　from　the　carriage　and　mounted　him　on　a　horse　behind　a　stalwart　rider。　　Word　of　command　being　then　given；　the　gang　started　at　a　brisk　pace　down　Piccadilly。　Prompted　by　enemies　of　the　duke；　as　well　as　urged　by　his　own　desires　to　avenge　his　loss　of　property　and　the　death　of　his　fellow…conspirators；　Blood　resolved　to　hang　him　upon　the　gallows　at　Tyburn。　　That　he　might　accomplish　this　end　with　greater　speed　and　security；　he；　leaving　his　victim　securely　buckled　and　tied　to　the　fellow　behind　whom　he　had　been　mounted；　galloped　forward　in　advance　to　adjust　the　rope　to　the　gallows；　and　make　other　necessary　preparations。

No　sooner　did　the　echo　of　his　horse's　hoofs　die　away；　than　the　duke；　recovering　the　stupor　this　sudden　attack　had　caused；　became　aware　that　now　was　his　opportunity　to　effect　escape；　if；　indeed；　such　were　possible。　　He　to　whom　his　grace　was　secured　was　a　burly　man　possessed　of　great　strength；　the　which　Lord　Ormond；　being　now　past　his　sixtieth　year；　had　not。　　However；　life　was　dear　to　him；　and　therefore　he　began　struggling　with　the　fellow；　and　finally　getting　his　foot　under　the　villain's；　he　unhorsed　him；　when　both　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。　　Meanwhile　his　grace's　coach　having　driven　to　Clarendon　House；　the　footmen　had　given　an　account　of　the　daring　manner　in　which　his　abduction　had　been　effected。　　On　this　an　alarm　was　immediately　raised；　and　the　porter；　servants；　and　others　hastened　down　Piccadilly　in　search　of　their　master；　fast　as　good　horses　could　carry　them。

They　had　proceeded　as　far　as　the　village　of　Knightsbridge；　when　reports　of　muskets；　cries　for　help；　and　sounds　of　a　scuffle　they　could　not　see　for　darkness；　fell　upon　their　ears；　and　filled　them　with　alarm。　　The　whole　neighbourhood　seemed　startled；　lights　flashed；　dogs　barked；　and　many　persons　rushed　towards　the　scene　of　encounter。　　Aware　of　this；　the　miscreants　who　had　carried　off　the　duke　discharged　their　pistols　at　him；　and　leaving　him；　as　they　supposed；　for　dead；　fled　to　avoid　capture；　and　were　seen　or　heard　of　no　more。　　His　grace　was　carried　in　an　insensible　condition　to　a　neighbouring　house；　but　not　having　received　serious　hurt；　recovered　in　a　few　days。　　The　court　and　town　were　strangely　alarmed　by　this　outrage；　nor　as　time　passed　was　there　any　clue　obtained　to　its　perpetrators；　though　the　king　offered　a　thousand　pounds　reward　for　their　discovery。

The　duke　and　his　family；　however；　had　little　doubt　his　grace　of　Buckingham　was　instigator　of　the　deed；　and　Lord　Ossory　was　resolved　the　latter　should　be　made　aware　of　their　conviction。　Therefore；　entering　the　royal　drawing…room　one　day；　he　saw　the　duke　standing　beside　his　majesty；　and　going　forward　addressed　him。　　〃My　lord；〃　said　he　in　a　bold　tone；　whilst　he　looked　him　full　in　the　face；　〃I　know　well　that　you　are　at　the　bottom　of　this　late　attempt　upon　my　father；　and　I　give　you　fair　warning；　if　my　father　comes　to　a　violent　end　by　sword　or　pistol；　or　if　he　dies　by　the　hand　of　a　ruffian；　or　by　the　more　secret　way　of　poison；　I　shall　not　be　at　a　loss　to　know　the　first　author　of　it：　　I　shall　consider　you　as　the　assassin；　I　shall　treat　you　as　such；　and　wherever　I　meet　you　I　shall　pistol　you；　though　you　stood　behind　the　king's　chair；　and　I　tell　you　it　in　his　majesty's　presence；　that　you　may　be　sure　I　shall　keep　my　word。〃　　No　further　attempt　was　made　upon　the　Duke　of　Ormond's　life。

Scarce　six　months　elapsed　from　date　of　the　essayed　abduction；　before　Blood　endeavoured　to　steal　the　regalia　and　royal　jewels　preserved　in　the　Tower。　　The　courage　which　prompted　the　design　is　not　more　remarkable　than　the　skill　which　sought　to　effect　it；　both　were　worthy　a　man　of　genius。　　In　the　month　of　April；　1671；　Blood；　attired　in　the　cassock；　cloak；　and　canonical　girdle　of　a　clergyman；　together　with　a　lady；　whom　he　represented　as　his　wife；　visited　the　Tower　on　purpose　to　see　the　crown。　　With　their　desire　Mr。　Edwards；　the　keeper；　an　elderly　man　and　a　worthy；　readily　complied。　　It　chanced　they　were　no　sooner　in　the　room　where　the　regalia　was　kept；　than　the　lady　found　herself　taken　suddenly　and　unaccountably　ill；　and　indeed　feared　she　must　die；　before　bidding　adieu　to　life；　she　begged　for　a　little　whisky。　　This　was　promptly　brought　her；　and　Mrs。　Edwards；　who　now　appeared　upon　the　scene；　invited　the　poor　gentlewoman　to　rest　upon　her　bed。　　Whilst　she　complied　with　this　kind　request；　the　clergyman　and　Edwards　had　time　to　improve　their　acquaintance；　which　indeed　bade　fair　towards　speedily　ripening　into　friendship。

And　presently　the　lady　recovering；　she　and　her　spouse　took　their　leave　with　many　expressions　of　gratitude　and　respect。　　Four　days　later；　the　good　parson　called　on　Mrs。　Edwards；　in　order　to　present　her　with　four　pairs　of　fine　new　gloves；　which　she　was　pleased　to　receive。　　This　gracious　act　paved　the　way　to　further　friendship；　which　at　last　found　its　climax　in　a　proposal　of　marriage　made　by　the　parson　on　behalf　of　his　nephew；　for　the　hand　of　young　Mistress　Edwards。　　〃You　have　a　pretty　gentlewoman　for　your　daughter；〃　said　the　clergyman；　〃and　I　have　a　young　nephew；　who　has　two　or　three　hundred　pounds　a　year　in　land；　and　is　at　my　disposal；　if　your　daughter　be　free；　and　you　approve　of　it；　I　will　bring　him　hither　to　see　her；　and　we　will　endeavour　to　make　a　match　of　it。〃

To　this　project　Edwards　readily　consented；　and　invited　the　clergyman　and　the　young　man　to　spend　a　day　with　him　when　they　could　discourse　on　the　subject　with　greater　leisure　and　more　satisfaction。　　This　was　cordially　agreed　to　by　the　parson；　who；　with　the　bridegroom　elect　and　two　of　his　friends；　presented　themselves　on　the　appointed　date；　as　early　as　seven　of　the　clock　in　the　morning。　　Edwards　was　up　betimes；　but　the　good　clergyman；　apologizing　for　the　untimely　hour　of　their　arrival；　which　he　attributed　to　his　nephew's　eagerness　for　sight　of　his　mistress；　declared　he　would　not　enter　the　keeper's　apartments　until　Mrs。　Edwards　was　ready　to　receive　them。　　However；　in　order　to　pass　the　time；　he　begged　his　host　might　show　the　jewels　to　their　young　friends。

With　this　petition　Edwards　complied　readily　enough。　　One　of　the　men；　protesting　he　did　not　care　to　see　the　treasures；　waited　at　the　door；　the　other　three　entered　with　the　keeper；　who　was　no　sooner　inside　the　room　than　a　cloak　was　thrown　over　his　head；　a　gag；　constructed　of　wood　with　a　hole　in　it　by　which　he　might　breathe；　clapped　into　his　mouth；　and　the　more　effectually　to　prevent　him　making　a　noise；　an　iron　ring　was　fastened　to　his　nose。　　He　was　told　if　he　attempted　an　alarm　he　would　be　instantly　killed；　but　if　he　remained　quiet　his　life　should　be　spared。　Blood　and　his　two　accomplices　then　seized　upon　the　crown；　orb；　and　sceptre；　seeing　which；　Edwards　made　as　much　noise　as　he　possibly　could　by　stamping　on　the　floor；　whereon　the　robbers　struck　him　with　a　mallet　on　the　head；　stabbed　him　with　a　short　sword　in　the　side；　and　left　him；　as　they　thought；　for　dead。　Blood　then　secured　the　regalia　under　his　cloak；　one　of　his　companions　put　the　orb　into　his　breeches　pocket；　whilst　the　other　proceeded　to　file　the　sceptre　that　it　might　be　more　conveniently　carried。

Now；　at　this　moment　it　happened　the　keeper's　son；　who　had　been　absent　in　Flanders；　returned　to　his　father's　home。　　He　who　stood　sentinel　asked　him　with　whom　he　would　speak；　whereon　young　Edwards　said　he　belonged　to　the　house；　and　so　passed　to　the　apartments　where　his　family　resided。　　The　other　giving　notice　of　his　arrival；　the　robbers　hastened　to　depart；　leaving　the　sceptre　behind　them。　　No　sooner　had　they　gone；　than　the　old　man　struggled　to　his　feet；　dragged　the　gag　from　his　mouth；　and　cried　out　in　fright：　　〃Treasonmurdermurdertreason！〃　　On　this　his　daughter　rushed　down；　and　seeing　the　condition　of　her　father；　and　noting　the　absence　of　the　regalia；　continued　his　cry；　adding；　〃The　crown　is　stolenthievesthieves！〃

Young　Edwards　and　another　who　heard　her；　Captain　Beekman；　now　gave　pursuit　to　the　robbers；　who　had　already　got　beyond　the　main　guard。　　Word　was　instantly　shouted　to　the　warder　of　the　drawbridge　to　stop　the　villains；　but　Blood　was　equal　to　this　emergency；　coolly　advancing；　he　discharged　his　pistol　at　the　man；　who　instantly　fell。　　The　thieves　then　crossed