royalty restored-第55部分

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e　son。〃　　There　was；　however；　another　man　engaged　in　a　like　design　to　the　noble　earl；　who；　if　not　less　scrupulous；　was　more　daring。

This　was　one　Ross；　a　Scotsman；　who　had　been　made　governor　of　the　young　duke　on　his　first　coming　into　England；　and　who　had　since　acted　as　his　friend　and　confidant。　　Now　Ross；　who　had　not　failed　to　whisper　ambitious　thoughts　into　his　pupil's　head；　at　this　time　sought　Dr。　Cosin；　Bishop　of　Durham；　and　according　to　the　〃Stuart　Papers；〃　told　him　〃he　might　do　a　great　piece　of　service　to　the　Church　of　England　in　keeping　out　popery；　if　he　would　but　sign　a　certificate　of　the　king's　marriage　to　the　Duke　of　Monmouth's　mother；　with　whom　that　bishop　was　acquainted　in　Paris。　　Ross　also　told　the　bishop；　to　make　the　thing　more　easy　to　him；　that　during　his　life　the　certificate　should　not　be　produced　or　made　use　of。〃　The　same　papers　state　that；　as　a　bishop's　certificate　is　a　legal　proof　of　marriage；　Dr。　Cosin's　compliance　would　have　been　invaluable　to　the　duke　and　his　friends。　　His　lordship；　however；　rejected　the　proposition；　and　laid　the　matter　before　the　king；　who　expelled　Ross　from　court。

Horror　of　popery　and　fear　of　a　papist　sovereign　increased　with　time；　care　having　been　taken　by　my　Lord　Shaftesbury　and　his　party　that　the　public　mind；　once　inflamed；　should　be　kept　ignited。　　For　this　purpose　he　spread　reports　abroad　that　the　Irish　were　about　to　rise　in　rebellion；　backed　by　the　French；　and　that　the　papists　in　London　had　entered　into　a　vile　conspiracy　to　put　their　fellow　citizens　to　the　sword　on　the　first　favourable　opportunity。　　To　give　this　latter　statement　a　flavour　of　reality　he；　assuming　an　air　of　fright；　betook　himself　one　night　to　the　city；　and　sought　refuge　in　the　house　of　a　fanatic；　in　order；　he　said；　that　he　might　escape　the　catholics；　who　had　planned　to　cut　his　throat。

A　tempest；　dark　and　dangerous；　was　gathering　fast；　which　the　court　felt　powerless　to　subdue。　　The　king's　assurance　to　parliament　that　〃he　would　endeavour　to　satisfy　the　world　of　his　steadfastness　for　the　security　of　the　protestant　religion；〃　had　little　avail　in　soothing　the　people。　　Many　of　them　suspected　him　to　be　a　catholic　at　heart；　others　knew　he　had　accepted　the　bounty　of　a　country　feared　and　detested　by　the　nation。　　Deeds；　not　words；　could　alone　dispel　the　clouds　of　prejudice　which　came　between　him　and　his　subjects；　and　accordingly　he　set　about　the　performance　of　such　acts　as　might　bring　reconciliation　in　their　train。

The　first　of　these　was　the　confirmation；　according　to　the　Protestant　Church；　of　the　Lady　Mary；　eldest　daughter　of　the　Duke　of　York；　and　after　him　heir　presumptive　to　the　crown；　the　second　and　more　important　was　the　marriage　of　that　princess　to　William　of　Orange。　　This　prince　was　son　of　the　king's　eldest　sister；　and　therefore　grandson　of　Charles　I。　　As　a　hero　who；　by　virtue　of　his　statesmanship　and　indomitable　courage；　had　rescued　Holland　from　the　hateful　power　of　France；　he　was　regarded　not　only　as　the　saviour　of　his　country；　but　as　the　protector　of　protestantism。　Already　a　large　section　of　the　English　nation　turned　their　eyes　towards　him　as　one　whom　they　might　elect　some　day　to　weald　the　sceptre　of　Great　Britain。　　Subtle；　ambitious；　and　determined；　a　silent　student　of　humanity；　a　grave　observer　of　politics；　a　sagacious　leader　in　warfare；　he　had　likewise　begun　to　look　forward　towards　the　chances　of　succeeding　his　uncle　in　the　government　of　Englandin　hopes　of　which　he　had　been　strengthened　by　the　private　overtures　made　him　by　Shaftesbury；　and　sustained　by　the　public　prejudices　exhibited　against　the　Duke　of　York。

The　proposed　union　between　him　and　the　heiress　presumptive　to　the　crown　was　regarded　by　the　nation　with　satisfaction；　and　by　the　prince　as　an　act　strongly　favouring　the　realization　of　his　desires　for　sovereignty。　　Cold　and　grave　in　temperament；　sickly　and　repulsive　in　appearance；　blunt　and　graceless　in　manner；　he　was　by　no　means　an　ideal　bridegroom　for　a　fair　princess；　but　neither　she　nor　her　father　had　any　choice　given　them　in　a　concern　so　important　to　the　pacification　of　the　nation。　　She；　it　was　whispered　at　court；　had　previously　given　her　heart　to　a　brave　young　Scottish　laird；　and　her　father；　it　was　known；　had　already　taken　an　instinctive　dislike　to　the　man　destined　to　usurp　his　throne。　　In　October；　1677；　the　Prince　of　Orange　came　to　England；　ostensibly　to　consult　with　King　Charles　regarding　the　establishment　of　peace　between　France　and　the　Confederates；　but　the　chief　motive　of　his　visit　was　to　promote　his　marriage；　which　had　some　time　before　been　proposed；　and　owing　to　political　causes　had　been　coolly　received　by　him。　　Now；　however；　his　anxiety　for　the　union　was　made　plain　to　the　king；　who　quickly　agreed　to　his　desires。　　〃Nephew；〃　said　he　to　the　sturdy　Dutchman；　〃it　is　not　good　for　man　to　be　alone；　and　I　will　give　you　a　help　meet　for　you；　and　so；〃　continues　Burnet；　〃he　told　him　he　would　bestow　his　niece　on　him。〃

The　same　afternoon　the　monarch　informed　his　council　that　〃the　Prince　of　Orange；　desiring　a　more　strict　alliance　with　England　by　marriage　with　the　Lady　Mary；　he　had　consented　to　it；　as　a　thing　he　looked　on　as　very　proper　to　unite　the　family；　and　which　he　believed　would　be　agreeable　to　his　people；　and　show　them　the　care　he　had　of　religion；　for　which　reason　he　thought　it　the　best　alliance　he　could　make。〃　　When　his　majesty　had　concluded　this　speech；　the　Duke　of　York　stepped　forward；　and　declared　his　consent　to　the　marriage。　　He　hoped　〃he　had　now　given　a　sufficient　testimony　of　his　right　intentions　for　the　public　good；　and　that　people　would　no　more　say　he　designed　altering　the　government　in　church　or　state；　for　whatever　his　opinion　on　religion　might　be；　all　that　he　desired　was；　that　men　might　not　be　molested　merely　for　conscience'　sake。〃

The　duke　then　dined　at　Whitehall　with；　the　king；　the　Prince　of　Orange；　and　a　noble　company；　after　which　he　returned　to　St。　James's；　where　he　then　resided。　　Dr。　Edward　Luke；　at　this　time　tutor　to　the　Lady　Mary；　and　subsequently　Archdeacon　of　Exeter；　in　his　interesting　manuscript　diary；　informs　us　that　on　reaching　the　palace；　the　duke；　with　great　tenderness　and　fatherly　affection；　took　his　daughter　aside；　〃and　told　her　of　the　marriage　designed　between　her　and　the　Prince　of　Orange；　whereupon　her　highness　wept　all　that　afternoon　and　the　following　day。〃　　Her　tears　had　not　ceased　to　flow　when；　two　days　after　the　announcement　of　her　marriage；　Lord　Chancellor　Finch；　on　behalf　of　the　council；　came　to　congratulate　her；　and　Lord　Chief　Justice　Rainsford；　on　the　part　of　the　judges；　complimented　her　in　extravagant　terms。

This　union；　which　the　bride　regarded　with　so　much　repugnance；　was　appointed　to　take　place　on　the　4th　of　November；　that　date　being　the　bridegroom's　birthday；　as　likewise　the　anniversary　of　his　mother's　nativity。　　Dr。　Luke　gives　a　quaint　account　of　the　ceremony。　　〃At　nine　o'clock　at　night；〃　he　writes；　〃the　marriage　was　solemnized　in　her　highness's　bedchamber。　　The　king；　who　gave　her　away；　was　very　pleasant　all　the　while；　for　he　desired　that　the　Bishop　of　London　would　make　haste　lest　his　sister　＇the　Duchess　of　York＇　should　be　delivered　of　a　son；　and　so　the　marriage　be　disappointed。　　And　when　the　prince　endowed　her　with　all　his　worldly　goods　＇laying　gold　and　silver　on　the　book＇；　he　willed　to　put　all　up　in　her　pockett；　for　'twas　clear　gains。　　At　eleven　o'clock　they　went　to　bed；　when　his　majesty　came　and　drew　the　curtains；　saying；　'Hey！　　St。　George　for　England！'〃

For　a　time　both　court　and　town　seemed　to　forget　the　trouble　and　strife　which　beset　them。　　Bonfires　blazed　in　the　streets；　bells　rang　from　church　towers；　the　populace　cheered　lustily；　whilst　at　Whitehall　there　were　many　brilliant　entertainments。　　These　terminated　with　a　magnificent　ball；　held　on　the　15th　instant；　the　queen's　birthday；　at　the　conclusion　of　this　festivity　the　bride　and　bridegroom　were　to　embark　in　their　yacht；　which　was　to　set　sail　next　morning　for　Holland。　　For　this　ball　the　princess　had　〃attired　herself　very　richly　with　all　her　jewels；〃　but　her　whole　appearance　betrayed　a　sadness　she　could　not　suppress　in　the　present；　and　which　the　future　did　not　promise　to　dispel。　　For　already　the　bridegroom；　whom　the　maids　of　honour　had　dubbed　the　〃Dutch　monster〃　and　〃Caliban；〃　had　commenced　to　reveal　glimpses　of　his　unhandsome　character；　〃and　the　court　began　to　whisper　of　his　sullennesse　or　clownishnesse；　that　he　took　no　notice　of　his　princess　at　the　playe　and　balle；　nor　came　to　see　her　at　St。　James'；　the　day　preceding　that　designed　for　their　departure。〃

The　wind　being　easterly；　they　were　detained　in　England　until　the　19th；　when；　accompanied　by　the　king；　the　Duke　of　York；　and　several　persons　of　quality；　they　went　in　barges　from　Whitehall　to　Greenwich。　　The　princess　was　sorely　grieved；　and　wept　unceasingly。　　When　her　tutor　〃kneeled　down　and　kissed　her　gown〃　at　parting；　she　could　not　find　words　to　speak；　but　turned　her　back　that　she　might　hide　her　tears；　and；　later　on；　when　the　queen　〃would　have　comforted　her　with　the　consideration　of　her　own　condition　when　she　came　into　England；　and　had　never　till　then　seen　the　king；　her　highness　replied；　'But；　madam；　you　came　into　England；　but　I　am　going　out　of　England。'〃



CHAPTER　XVII。

The　threatened　storm　bursts。History　of　Titus　Oates　and　Dr。　Tonge。A　da