royalty restored-第43部分

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he　affair　proceeded　so　far　that　a　date　was　fixed　upon　for　the　motion。　However；　three　days　previous；　Charles　called　Baptist　May　aside；　and　told　him　the　matter　must　be　discontinued。

But　even　yet　my　Lord　Buckingham　did　not　despair　of　gaining　his　wishes。　　And；　being　qualified　by　his　character　for　the　commission　of　abominable　deeds；　and　fitted　by　his　experience　for　undertaking　adventurous　schemes；　he　proposed　to　his　majesty；　as　Burnet　states；　that　he　would　give　him　leave　to　abduct　the　queen；　and　send　her　out　of　the　kingdom　to　a　plantation；　where　she　should　be　well　and　carefully　looked　to；　but　never　heard　of　more。　　Then　it　could　be　given　out　she　had　deserted　him；　upon　which　grounds　he　might　readily　obtain　a　divorce。　　But　the　king；　though　he　permitted　such　a　proposal　to　be　made　him；　contemplated　it　with　horror；　declaring　〃it　was　a　wicked　thing　to　make　a　poor　lady　miserable　only　because　she　was　his　wife　and　had　no　children　by　him；　which　was　no　fault　of　hers。〃

Ultimately　these　various　schemes　resolved　themselves　into　a　proposition　which　Charles　sanctioned。　　This　was　that　the　queen's　confessor　should　persuade　her　to　leave　the　world；　and　embrace　a　religious　life。　　Whether　this　suggestion　was　ever　made　to　her　majesty　is　unknown；　for　the　Countess　of　Castlemaine；　hearing　of　these　schemes；　and　foreseeing　she　would　be　the　first　sacrificed　to　a　new　queen's　jealousy；　opposed　them　with　such　vigour　that　they　fell　to　the　ground　and　were　heard　of　no　more。　　The　fact　was；　the　king　took　no　active　part　in　these　designs；　not　being　anxious；　now　the　Duchess　of　Richmond　had　accepted　his　love；　to　unite　himself　with　another　wife。　　Whilst　her　grace　had　been　unmarried；　the　idea　had　indeed　occurred　to　him　of　seeking　a　divorce　that　he　might　be　free　to　lay　his　crown　at　the　feet　of　the　maid　of　honour。　And　with　such　a　view　in　mind　he　had　consulted　Dr。　Sheldon；　Archbishop　of　Canterbury；　as　to　whether　the　Church　of　England　〃would　allow　of　a　divorce；　when　both　parties　were　consenting；　and　one　of　them　lay　under　a　natural　incapacity　of　having　children。〃　Before　answering　a　question　on　which　so　much　depended；　the　archbishop　requested　time　for　consideration；　which；　with　many　injunctions　to　secrecy；　was　allowed　him。　　〃But；〃　says　Lord　Dartmouth；　who　vouches　for　truth　of　this　statement；　〃the　Duke　of　Richmond's　clandestine　marriage；　before　he　had　given　an　answer；　made　the　king　suspect　he　had　revealed　the　secret　to　Clarendon；　whose　creature　Sheldon　was　known　to　be；　and　this　was　the　true　secret　of　Clarendon's　disgrace。〃　　For　the　king；　believing　the　chancellor　had　aided　the　duke　in　his　secret　marriage；　in　order　to　prevent　his　majesty's　union　with　Miss　Stuart；　and　the　presumable　exclusion　of　the　Duke　and　Duchess　of　York　and　their　children　from　the　throne；　never　forgave　him。

Though　the　subject　of　the　royal　divorce　was　no　longer　mentioned；　the　disturbances　springing　from　it　were　far　from　ended；　for　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　incensed　at　Lady　Castlemaine's　interference；　openly　quarrelled　with　her；　abused　her　roundly；　and　swore　he　would　remove　the　king　from　her　power。　　To　this　end　he　therefore　employed　his　talents；　and　with　such　tact　and　assiduity　that　he　ultimately　fulfilled　his　menaces。　　The　first　step　he　took　towards　accomplishing　his　desires；　was　to　introduce　two　players　to　his　majesty；　named　respectively　Moll　Davis　and　Nell　Gwynn。

The　former；　a　member　of　the　Duke　of　York's　troupe　of　performers；　could　boast　of　goodly　lineage；　though　not　of　legitimate　birth；　her　father　being　Thomas　Howard；　first　Earl　of　Berkshire。　　She　had；　early　in　the　year　1667；　made　her　first　appearance　at　the　playhouse；　and　had　by　her　comely　face　and　shapely　figure　challenged　the　admiration　of　the　town。　　Her　winsome　ways；　pleasant　voice；　and　graceful　dancing　soon　made　her　a　favourite　with　the　courtiers；　who　voted　her　an　excellent　wench；　though　some　of　her　own　sex；　judging　harshly　of　her；　as　is　their　wont　towards　each　other；　declared　her　〃the　most　impertinent　slut　in　the　world。〃

Now　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　knowing　her　well；　it　seemed　to　him　no　woman　was　more　suited　to　fulfil　his　purpose　of　thwarting　the　countess；　for　if　he　succeeded　in　awaking　the　king's　passion　for　the　comedian；　such　a　proceeding　would　not　only　arouse　my　lady's　jealousy；　but　likewise　humble　her　pride。　　Therefore；　when　this　court　Mephistopheles　accompanied　his　majesty　to　the　playhouse；　he　was　careful　to　dwell　on　Moll　Davis's　various　charms；　the　excellency　of　her　figure；　the　beauty　of　her　face；　the　piquancy　of　her　manner。　　So　impressed　was　the　monarch　by　Buckingham's　descriptions；　that　he　soon　became　susceptible　to　her　fascinations。　　The　amour　once　begun　was　speedily　pursued；　and　she　was　soon　enabled　to　boast；　in　presence　of　the　players；　that　the　kingwhose　generosity　was　great　to　fallen　womenhad　given　her　a　ring　valued　at　seven　hundred　pounds；　and　was　about　to　take；　and　furnish　most　richly；　a　house　in　Suffolk　Street　for　her　benefit　and　abode。　　Pepys　heard　this　news　in　the　first　month　of　the　year　1668；　and　soon　afterwards　a　further　rumour　reached　him　that　she　was　veritably　the　king's　mistress；　〃even　to　the　scorn　of　the　world。〃

This　intrigue　affected　Lady　Castlemaine　in　a　manner　which　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　had　not　expected。　　Whilst　sitting　beside　Charles　in　the　playhouse；　she　noticed　his　attention　was　riveted　upon　her　rival；　when　she　became　melancholy　and　out　of　humour；　in　which　condition　she　remained　some　days。　　But　presently　rallying　her　spirits；　she　soon　found　means　to　divert　her　mind　and　avenge　her　wrongs；　of　which　more　shall　be　recorded　hereafter。　Meanwhile；　the　poor　queen；　whose　feelings　neither　the　king　nor　his　courtiers　took　into　consideration；　bore　this　fresh　insult　with　such　patience　as　she　could　summon　to　her　aid；　on　one　occasion　only　protesting　against　her　husband's　connection　with　the　player。　　This　happened　when　the　Duke　of　York's　troupe　performed　in　Whitehall　the　tragedy　of　〃Horace；〃　　〃written　by　the　virtuous　Mrs。　Phillips。〃　　The　courtiers　assembled　on　this　occasion　presented　a　brilliant　and　goodly　sight。　　Evelyn　tells　us　〃the　excessive　gallantry　of　the　ladies　was　infinite；　those　jewels　especially　on　Lady　Castlemaine　esteemed　at　forty　thousand　pounds　and　more；　far　outshining　ye　queene。〃　　Between　each　act　of　the　tradgedy　a　masque　and　antique　dance　was　performed。　　When　Moll　Davis　appeared；　her　majesty；　turning　pale　from　sickness　of　heart；　and　trembling　from　indignation　at　the　glaring　insult　thrust　upon　her；　arose　and　left　the　apartment　boisterous　with　revelry；　where　she　had　sat　a　solitary　sad　figure　in　its　midst。　　As　a　result　of　her　intimacy　with　the　king；　Moll　Davis　bore　him　a　daughter；　who　subsequently　became　Lady　Derwentwater。　　But　the　Duke　of　Buckingham's　revenge　upon　my　Lady　Castlemaine　was　yet　but　half　complete；　and　therefore　whilst　the　monarch　carried　on　his　intrigue　with　Moll　Davis；　his　grace；　enlarging　upon　the　wit　and　excellency　of　Nell　Gwynn；　besought　his　majesty　to　send　for　her。　This　request　the　king　complied　with　readily　enough；　and　she　was　accordingly　soon　added　to　the　list　of　his　mistresses。　　Nell　Gwynn；　who　was　at　this　period　in　her　eighteenth　year；　had　joined　the　company　of　players　at　the　king's　house；　about　the　same　time　as　Moll　Davis　had　united　her　fortunes　with　the　Duke　of　York's　comedians。　　Her　time　upon　the　stage　was；　however；　but　of　brief　duration；　for　my　Lord　Buckhurst；　afterwards　Earl　of　Dorset；　a　witty　and　licentious　man；　falling　in　love　with　her；　induced　her　to　become　his　mistress；　quit　the　theatre；　and　forsake　the　society　of　her　lover；　Charles　Hart；　a　famous　actor　and　great…nephew　of　William　Shakespeare。　　And　she　complying　with　his　desires　in　these　matters；　he　made　her　an　allowance　of　one　hundred　pounds　a　year；　on　which　she　returned　her　parts　to　the　manager；　and　declared　she　would　act　no　more。

Accordingly　in　the　month　of　July；　1667；　she　was　living　at　Epsom　with　my　Lord　Buckhurst　and　his　witty　friend　Sir　Charles　Sedley；　and　a　right　merry　house　they　kept　for　a　time。　　But　alas；　ere　the　summer　had　died　there　came　a　day　when　charming　Nell　and　his　fickle　lordship　were　friends　no　more；　and　parting　from　him；　she　was　obliged　to　revert　to　the　playhouse　again。

Now　Nell　Gwynn　being　not　only　a　pretty　woman；　but　moreover　an　excellent　actress；　her　return　was　welcomed　by　the　town。　　Her　achievements　in　light　comedy　were　especially　excellent；　and　declared　entertaining　to　a　rare　degree。　　Pepys；　who　witnessed　her　acting　〃a　comical　part；〃　in　the　〃Maiden　Queen；〃　a　play　by　Dryden；　says　he　could　〃never　hope　to　see　the　like　done　again　by　man　or　woman。　　So　great　performance　of　a　comical　part；〃　he　continues；　〃was　never；　I　believe；　in　the　world　before　as　Nell　do　this；　both　as　a　mad　girle；　then　most　and　best　of　all　when　she　comes　in　like　a　young　gallant；　and　hath　the　motions　and　carriage　of　a　spark　the　most　that　ever　I　saw　any　man　have。　　It　makes　me；　I　confess；　admire　her。〃　　In　the　part　of　Valeria；　in　〃Tyrannic　Love；〃　she　was　also　pronounced　inimitable；　especially　in　her　delivery　of　the　epilogue。　　The　vein　of　comedy　with　which　she　delivered　the　opening　lines；　addressed　to　those　about　to　bear　her　dead　body　from　the　stage；　was　merry　beyond　belief。　　〃Hold！〃　　she　cried　out　to　one　of　them；　as　she　suddenly　started　to　life

　　〃Hold！　　are　you　mad？　　you　damned　confounded　dog！　　　　I　am　to　rise　and　speak　the　epilogue。〃

Before　the　year　1667　ended；　she　had　several　times　visited　his　majesty　at　Whitehall。　　The　king　was　now　no　less　assured　of　her　charms　as　a　woman；　than　he　had　previously　been　convinced　of　her　excellence　as　an　actress。　　In　due　time；　her　intimacy　with　the　monarch　resulted　in　the　birth　of　two　sons；　the　elder　of　which　was　created　Duke　of　St。　Albans；　from　whom　is　descended　the　family　now　bearing　that　title：　　the　second　died　young　and　unmarried。

Through　influence　of　these　women；　my　Lady　Castlemaine's　power　over　the　king　rapidly　diminished；　and　at　last　ceased　to　exist；　seeing　which；　as　Burnet　says；　〃She　abandoned　herself　to　great　disorders；　one　of　which　by　the　artifice　of　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　was　discovered　by　the　king　in　person；　the　party　concerned　leaping　out　of　the　window。〃　　The　gallant　to　whom　the　worthy　bishop　refers　was　John　Churchill；　afterwards　the　great　Duke　of　Marlborough；　at　this　time　a　handsome　stripling　of　eighteen　summers。　　In　his　office　as　page　to　the　Duke　of　York；　he　frequently　came　under　notice　of　her　ladyship；　w