royalty restored-第14节

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h's　arrival　in　London。　　True　the　loyal　PARLIAMENTARY　INTELLIGENCER　stated　〃his　majesty　was　diverted　from　his　pious　intention　of　going　to　Westminster　to　offer　up　his　devotions　of　prayer　and　praise　in　publick　according　to　the　appointment　of　his　Majesty；　and　made　his　oblations　unto　God　in　the　presence…chamber；〃　but　it　is；　alas；　equally　certain；　according　to　Oldmixon；　Lord　Dartmouth；　and　other　reliable　authorities；　he　spent　the　first　night　of　his　return　in　the　company　of　Barbara　Palmer。　　From　that　time　this　abandoned　woman　exercised　an　influence　over　the　king　which　wholly　disgraced　his　court；　and　almost　ruined　his　kingdom。

Another　prominent　figure；　whose　history　is　inseparable　from　the　king's；　was　that　of　his　majesty's　brother；　James；　Duke　of　Yorka　man　of　greater　ambition　and　lesser　talents　than　the　merry　monarch；　but　one　whose　amorous　disposition　equalled　the　monarch's　withal。　　At　an　early　period　of　his　life　the　Duke　of　York　was　witness　of　the　strife　which　divided　his　unhappy　father's　kingdom。　When　only　eight　years　old　he　was　sent　for　by　Charles　I。　to　York；　but　was　forbidden　by　the　Parliament　to　leave　St。　James's　Palace。　Despite　its　commands　he　was；　however；　carried　to　the　king　by　the　gallant　Marquis　of　Hereford。　　That　same　year　the　boy　witnessed　the　refusal　of　Sir　John　Hotham；　Governor　of　Hull；　to　admit　his　majesty　within　the　gates；　and　James　was　subsequently　present　at　the　siege　of　Bristol；　and　the　famous　battle　of　Edgehill；　when　his　life　at　one　period　of　the　engagement　was　in　imminent　peril。

Until　1646　he　continued　under　the　guardianship　of　his　father；　when；　on　the　entrance　of　Fairfax　into　Oxford；　the　young　duke　was　found　among　the　prisoners；　and　by　Cromwell's　orders　committed　to　the　charge　of　Sir　George　Ratcliffe。　　A　few　months　later　he　was　removed　to　St。　James's　Palace；　when　in　company　with　his　brother；　the　Duke　of　Gloucester；　and　his　sister；　the　Princess　Elizabeth；　he　was　placed　under　the　care　of　Lord　Northumberland；　who　had　joined　the　Republican　cause。

Though　by　no　means　treated　with　unkindness；　the　young　duke；　unhappy　at　the　surveillance　placed　upon　his　actions　and　fearful　of　the　troubles　quickly　gathering　over　the　kingdom；　twice　sought　escape。　　This　was　a　serious　offence　in　the　eyes　of　Cromwell's　Parliament；　a　committee　was　accordingly　sent　to　examine　him；　and　he　was　threatened　with　imprisonment　in　the　Tower。　　Though　only　in　his　fourteenth　year　he　already　possessed　both　determination　and　courage；　by　reason　of　which　he　resolved　to　risk　all　danger；　and　make　a　third　effort　for　freedom。　　Accordingly　he　laid　his　plans　with　much　ingenuity；　selecting　two　men　from　those　around　him　to　aid　his　undertaking。　　These　were　George　Howard　and　Colonel　Bamfield。　　The　latter　had　once　served　in　the　king's　army；　but　when　the　fortunes　of　war　had　gone　against　his　royal　master；　had　professed　himself　friendly　to　the　Republicans。　　No　doubt　the　young　duke　saw　the　gallant　colonel　was　still　true　at　heart　to　the　Royalist　cause；　and　therefore　trusted　him　at　this　critical　juncture。

Now　for　a　fortnight　previous　to　the　night　on　which　he　designed　to　escape；　James　made　it　his　habit　to　play　at　hide…and…seek　every　evening　after　supper　with　his　brother　and　sister；　and　the　children　of　the　officers　then　located　in　the　palace；　and　in　such　secure　places　did　he　secrete　himself　that　his　companions　frequently　searched　for　over　half　an　hour　without　discovering　him。　　This　of　course　accustomed　the　household　to　miss　him；　and　was　cunningly　practised　for　the　purpose　of　gaining　time　on　his　pursuers　when　he　came　to　be　sought　for　in　good　earnest。

At　last　the　eventful　night　fixed　for　his　escape　arrived；　and　after　supper　a　pleasant　group　of　merry　children　prepared　to　divert　themselves　in　the　long　dark　halls　and　narrow　winding　passages　of　the　grim　old　palace。　　James；　as　usual；　proposed　concealing　himself；　and　leaving　his　companions　for　the　purpose；　disappeared　behind　some　arras；　but；　instead　of　hiding；　he　hastened　to　his　sister's　chamber；　where　he　locked　up　a　favourite　dog　that　was　in　the　habit　of　following　his　footsteps　wherever　he　went；　and　then　noiselessly　slipped　down　a　back　stairs　which　led　to　an　inner　garden。　　Having　taken　care　to　provide　himself　with　a　key　fitting　the　garden　door；　he　quickly　slipped　into　the　park。　Here　he　found　Colonel　Bamfield　waiting；　who；　giving　him　a　cloak　and　a　wig　for　his　better　disguise；　hurried　him　into　a　hackney　coach；　which　drove　them　as　far　as　Salisbury　House　in　the　Strand。　From　thence　they　went　through　Spring　Garden；　and　down　Ivy　Lane；　when；　taking　boat；　they　landed　close　by　London　Bridge。　　Here　entering　the　house　of　a　surgeon　friendly　to　their　adventure；　they　found　a　woman　named　Murray　awaiting　them；　who　immediately　provided　a　suit　of　woman's　wearing　apparel　for　the　young　duke；　in　which　she　helped　to　attire　him。　　Dressed　in　this　costume　he；　attended　by　the　faithful　Bamfield；　hastened　to　Lion　Quay；　where　they　entered　a　barge　hired　for　their　conveyance　to　a　Dutch　frigate　stationed　beyond　Gravesend。

Meanwhile；　the　children　not　being　able　to　discover　their　playfellow　in　the　palace；　their　elders　became　suspicious　of　the　duke's　escape；　and　began　to　aid　the　search。　　Before　an　hour　elapsed　they　were　convinced　he　had　fled；　and　St。　James's　was　thrown　into　a　state　of　the　utmost　excitement　and　confusion。　Notice　of　his　flight　was　at　once　despatched　to　General　Fairfax　at　Whitehall；　who　immediately　gave　orders　have　all　the　roads　from　London　guarded；　especially　those　leading　to　the　north；　for　it　was　surmised　he　would　in　the　first　instance　seek　to　escape　into　Wales。　　The　duke；　however；　had　taken　a　safer　course；　but　one　which　was　not　unattended　by　danger。　　He　had　not　sailed　far　in　the　barge　when　its　master　became　suspicious　that　he　was　aiding　the　escape　of　some　persons　of　consequence；　and　became　frightened　lest　he　should　get　into　trouble　by　rendering　them　his　services。　　And　presently　his　surmise　was　converted　into　certainty；　for　looking　through　a　cranny　of　the　barge…room　door；　he　saw　the　young　woman　fling　her　leg　on　the　table　and　pull　up　her　stocking　in　a　most　unmaidenly　manner。　　He　therefore　at　once　peremptorily　declared　to　Colonel　Bamfield　they　must　land　at　Gravesend；　and　procure　another　boat　to　carry　them　to　the　ship；　for　it　would　be　impossible　for　the　barge　to　pass　the　block…house　lower　down　without　being　observed；　and　consequently　inspected；　as　was　the　custom　at　this　troubled　time。　　On　hearing　which　Colonel　Bamfield　was　filled　with　dismay；　but；　knowing　that　at　heart　the　people　were　loyal　towards　the　Stuarts；　he　confided　the　identity　of　his　passenger；　and　begged　him　not　to　betray　them　in　this　hour　of　peril。　　To　give　his　appeal　further　weight；　he　promised　the　fellow　a　considerable　sum　if　they　safely　reached　the　frigate；　for　human　nature　is　weak；　and　greed　of　gold　is　strong。　　On　this；　the　bargee；　who　was　a　loyal　man；　promised　he　would　help　them　to　the　best　of　his　powers；　the　lights　were　therefore　extinguished；　the　oars　drawn　in；　and；　the　tide　fortunately　answering；　the　barge　glided　noiselessly　down　under　cover　of　night；　and　passed　the　block…house　unobserved。　　In　good　time　they　reached　the　frigate；　which；　the　duke　and　Colonel　Bamfield　boarding；　at　once　set　sail；　and　in　a　few　days　landed　them　at　Middleburgh。　　James　proceeded　to　the　court　of　his　sister；　the　Princess　of　Orange；　and　later　on　joined　his　mother　in　France。

At　the　age　of　twenty　he　served　in　the　French　army；　under　Turenne；　against　the　Spanish　forces　in　Flanders；　and　subsequently　in　several　campaigns；　where　he　invariably　showed　himself　so　brave　and　valiant　that　the　Prince　de　Conde　declared　that　if　ever　there　was　a　man　without　fear；　it　was　James；　Duke　of　York。　　Now　it　happened　that　in　1658　the　Princess　of　Orange　went　to　Paris　in　order　to　visit　the　queen　mother；　as　the　widow　of　Charles　I。　was　called。　　The　Duke　of　York　was　in　the　gay　capital　at　this　time；　and　it　soon　became　noticed　that　he　fixed　his　attention　overmuch　on　one　of　his　sister's　maids　of　honour；　Anne　Hyde。　　This　gentlewoman；　then　in　her　twenty…first　year；　was　the　possessor　of　a　comely　countenance；　excellent　shape；　and　much　wit。　　Anne　was　daughter　of　Edward　Hyde；　a　worthy　man；　who　had　been　bred　to　the　law；　and　proved　himself　so　faithful　a　servant　to　Charles　I。；　that　his　majesty　had　made　him　Privy　Councillor　and　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer。　　After　the　king's　execution；　in　1649；　the　chancellor　thought　it　wise　for　himself　and　his　family　to　seek　refuge　in　exile；　and　accordingly　joined　Charles　II。；　with　whom　he　lived　in　the　closest　friendship；　and　for　whose　return　he　subsequently　negotiated　with　General　Monk。

Now　James；　after　his　fashion；　made　love　to　Mistress　Hyde；　who　encouraged　his　advances　until　they　reached　a　certain　stage；　beyond　which　the　judicious　maiden　forbade　them　to　proceed　unless　blessed　by　the　sanction　of　holy　church。　　The　Duke；　impatient　to　secure　his　happiness；　was　therefore　secretly　united　to　Mistress　Hyde　in　the　bonds　of　matrimony　on　the　24th　of　November；　in　the　year　of　grace　1659；　at　Breda；　to　which　place　the　Princess　of　Orange　had　returned。　　In　a　little　while；　the　restoration　being　effected；　the　duke　returned　to　England　with　the　king；　leaving　his　bride　behind。　　And　Chancellor　Hyde　being　presently　re…established　in　his　offices；　and　settled　in　his　residence　at　Worcester　House　in　the　Strand；　sent　for　his　wife　and　childre