royalty restored-第77部分

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　but　James；　mindful　that　slander　might　afterwards　charge　him　with　killing　his　brother；　begged　the　Earl　of　Bath；　the　lord　of　the　bedchamber　then　in　waiting；　and　the　Earl　of　Feversham；　captain　of　the　guard；　might　staysaying　to　the　king　it　was　not　fitting　he　should　be　unattended　in　his　weak　condition。　　These　gentlemen　therefore　remained。　　And　no　sooner　had　all　others　departed　than　the　monk　was　admitted　by　a　private　entrance　to　the　chamber。　　The　king　received　him　with　great　joy　and　satisfaction；　stating　he　was　anxious　to　die　in　the　communion　of　the　catholic　church；　and　declaring　he　was　sorry　for　the　wrongs　of　his　past　life；　which　he　yet　hoped　might　be　pardoned　through　the　merits　of　Christ。

He　then；　as　we　read　in　the　Stuart　Papers；　〃with　exceeding　compunction　and　tenderness　of　heart；〃　made　an　exact　confession　of　his　sins；　after　which　he　repeated　an　act　of　contrition；　and　received　absolution。　　He　next　desired　to　have　the　other　Sacraments　of　the　church　proper　to　his　condition　administered　to　him：　　on　which　the　Benedictine　asked　if　he　desired　to　receive　the　Eucharist；　eagerly　he　replied；　〃If　I　am　worthy　pray　fail　not　to　let　me　have　it。〃　　Then　Father　Huddleston；　after　some　exhortation；　prepared　to　give　him　the　Sacrament；　when　the　dying　man；　struggling　to　raise　himself；　exclaimed；　〃Let　me　meet　my　heavenly　Lord　in　a　better　posture　than　lying　in　bed。〃　　But　the　priest　begged　he　would　not　move；　and　then　gave　him　the　Communion；　which　he　received　with　every　sign　of　fervour。　　And　for　some　time　he　prayed　earnestly；　the　monk　and　the　duke　kneeling　by　the　while；　silence　obtaining　in　the　room。　　This　was　presently　broken　by　the　sad　and　solemn　tones　of　the　priest's　voice；　reading　a　commendation　of　the　soul　to　its　Maker：　　the　which　being　ended；　the　Benedictine；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　took　leave　of　his　majesty。　〃Ah；〃　said　Charles；　〃you　once　saved　my　body；　you　have　now　saved　my　soul。〃　　Then　the　monk　gave　him　his　benediction；　and　departed　as　quietly　as　he　had　come。

Then　those　waiting　without　were　once　more　admitted　to　the　room；　when　Charles　nerved　himself　to　take　a　sad　farewell　of　those　around　him。　　He　first　publicly　thanked　his　brother　for　the　services　and　affection　he　had　ever　rendered　him　through　life；　and　extolled　his　obedience　and　submission　to　his　commands。　　Giving　him　his　keys；　he　said　he　had　left　him　all　he　possessed；　and　prayed　God　would　bless　him　with　a　happy　and　prosperous　reign。　Finally；　he　recommended　all　his　children　to　him　by　name；　excepting　only　the　Duke　of　Monmouth　then　in　Holland；　and　suffering　from　the　king's　displeasure；　and　besought　him　to　extend　his　kindness　towards　the　Duchesses　of　Portsmouth　and　Cleveland；　〃and　do　not；〃　said　he；　〃let　poor　Nelly　starve。〃　　Whilst　these　commands　were　addressed　him；　the　duke　had　flung　himself　on　his　knees　by　the　bedside；　and；　bursting　into　tears；　kissed　his　brother's　hand。

The　queen；　who　had　scarce　left　his　majesty　since　the　beginning　of　his　illness；　was　at　this　time　absent；　her　love　and　grief　not　permitting　her　to　endure　this　afflicting　scene。　　He　spoke　most　tenderly　of　her；　and　when　presently　she　sent　a　message　praying　he　would　pardon　her　absence　in　regard　to　her　excessive　grief；　and　forgive　her　withal　if　at　any　time　she　had　offended　him；　he　replied；　〃Alas；　poor　woman！　　She　beg　my　pardon？I　beg　hers；　with　all　my　heart。〃　　He　next　summoned　his　children　to　him；　one　by　one；　and　addressing　them　with　words　of　advice；　embraced　them　heartily　and　blessed　them　fervently。　　And　he　being　the　Lord's　anointed；　the　bishops　present　besought　he　would　give　them　his　benediction　likewise；　and　all　that　were　present；　and　in　them　the　whole　body　of　his　subjects；　in　compliance　with　which　request　he；　with　some　difficulty；　raised　himself；　and　all　falling　on　their　knees；　he　blessed　them　fervently。　　Then　they　arose　and　departed。

Silence　fell　upon　the　palace；　night　wore　slowly　away。　　Charles　tossed　upon　his　bed　racked　with　pain；　but　no　complaint　escaped　his　lips。　　Those　who　watched　him　in　the　semi…darkened　room　heard　him　ask　God　to　accept　his　sufferings　in　atonement　for　his　sins。　Then；　speaking　aloud；　he　declared　himself　weary　of　life；　and　hoped　soon　to　reach　a　better　world。　　Courteous　to　the　last；　he　begged　pardon　for　the　trouble　he　gave；　inasmuch　as　he　was　long　in　dying。　　And　anon　he　slumbered；　and　quickly　woke　again　in　agony　and　prayed　with　zeal。　　Never　had　time　moved　with　slower　passage　for　him；　not　hours；　but　weeks；　seemed　to　elapse　between　each　stroke　of　the　clock；　and　yet　around　him　was　darkness　and　tardy　night。　　But　after　much　weary　waiting；　morning　was　at　hand；　the　time…piece　struck　six。　　〃Draw　the　curtains；〃　said　the　dying　man；　〃that　I　may　once　more　see　day。〃　　The　grey　light　of　a　February　dawn；　scarce　brightened　to　eastward　a　cheerless　sky；　but　he　hailed　this　herald　of　sunrise　with　infinite　relief　and　terrible　regret；　relief　that　he　had　lived　to　see　another　day；　regret　that　no　more　morns　should　break　for　him。

His　soul　tore　itself　from　his　body　with　fierce　struggles　and　bitter　pain。　　It　was　hard　for　him　to　die；　but　he　composed　himself　to　enter　eternity　〃with　the　piety　becoming　a　Christian；　and　the　resolution　becoming　a　king；〃　as　his　brother　narrates。　　About　ten　o'clock　on　Friday　morning；　February　6th；　1685；　he　found　relief　in　unconsciousness；　before　midday　chimed　he　was　dead。　　He　had　reached　the　fifty…fifth　year　of　his　life；　and　the　twenty…fifth　year　of　his　reign。

His　illegitimate　progeny　was　numerous；　numbering　fifteen；　besides　those　who　died　in　infancy。　　These　were　the　Duke　of　Monmouth　and　a　daughter　married　to　William　Sarsfield；　children　of　Lucy　Walters；　the　Dukes　of　Southampton；　Grafton；　and　Northumberland；　the　Countesses　of　Litchfield　and　of　Sussex；　and　a　daughter　Barbara。　who　became　a　nun；　children　of　the　Duchess　of　Cleveland；　the　Duke　of　Richmond；　son　of　the　Duchess　of　Portsmouth；　the　Duke　of　St。　Albans；　and　a　son　James；　children　of　Nell　Gwynn；　Lady　Derwentwater；　daughter　of　Moll　Davis；　the　Countess　of　Yarmouth；　daughter　of　Lady　Shannon；　and　the　Earl　of　Plymouth；　son　of　Catherine　Peg。

For　seven　days　the　remains　of　the　late　king　lay　in　state；　on　the　eighth　they　were　placed　in　Westminster　Abbey。　　The　ceremony　was　of　necessity　conducted　in　a　semi…private　manner　for　by　reason　of　his　majesty　dying　in　the　Catholic　religion；　his　brother　considered　it　desirable　the　ceremonies　prescribed　for　the　occasion　by　the　English　church　should　be　dispensed　with。　Therefore；　in　order　to　avoid　disputes　or　scandal；　the　king　was　laid　in　the　tomb　without　ostentation。　　At　night　his　remains　were　carried　from　the　painted　chamber　in　Westminster　sanctuary　to　the　abbey。　　The　procession；　headed　by　the　servants　of　the　nobility；　of　James　II。；　and　his　queen；　of　the　dowager　queen；　and　of　the　late　king；　was　followed　by　the　barons；　bishops；　and；　peers　according　to　their　rank；　the　officers　of　the　household；　and　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury。　　Then　came　all　that　was　mortal　of　his　late　majesty；　borne　under　a　canopy　of　velvet；　supported　by　six　gentlemen　of　the　privy　chamber；　the　pall　being　held　by　six　earls。　Prince　George　of　Denmarksubsequently　husband　of　Queen　Anne　acted　as　chief　mourner；　attended　by　the　Dukes　of　Somerset　and　Beaufort；　and　sixteen　earls。　　One　of　the　kings　of　Arms　carried　the　crown　and　cushion；　the　train　being　closed　by　the　king's　band　of　gentlemen　pensioners；　and　the　yeomen　of　the　guard。

At　the　abbey　entrance　the　dean　and　prebendaries；　attended　by　torch　bearers；　and　followed　by　a　surpliced　choir；　met　the　remains；　and　joined　the　procession；　the　slow　pacing　figures　of　which　seemed　spectral　in　this　hour　and　place；　then　the　sad　cortege　passed　solemnly　through　the　grey　old　abbey；　the　choir　chanting　sorrowfully　the　while；　the　yellow　flare　of　torches　marking　the　prevailing　gloom。　　And　being　come　to　the　chapel　of　Henry　VII。；　the　body　of　the　merry　monarch　was　suffered　there　to　rest　in　peace。







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