Lord　Clarendon；　〃when　it　was　least　expected　or　suspected；　the　queen　on　a　sudden　let　herself　fall；　first　to　conversation；　and　then　to　familiarity；　and　even；　in　the　same　instant；　to　a　confidence　with　the　lady；　was　merry　with　her　in　public；　talked　kindly　of　her；　and　in　private　used　no　lady　more　friendly。〃
  From　that　hour　her　majesty　never　interfered　with　the　king's　amours；　and　never　again　did　a　quarrel　rise　between　them　even　to　the　day　of　his　death。
  CHAPTER　VII。
  Their　majesties　arrive　at　Whitehall。My　Lady　Castlemaine　a　spectator。Young　Mr。　Crofts。New　arrivals　at　court。The　Hamilton　family。The　Chevalier　de　Grammont。Mrs。　Middleton　and　Miss　Kirke。At　the　queen's　ballLa　belle　Hamilton。The　queen　mother　at　Somerset　House。The　Duke　of　Monmouth's　marriage。Fair　Frances　Stuart。Those　who　court　her　favour。The　king's　passion。
  On　the　23rd　of　August；　1662；　their　majesties　journeyed　from　Hampton　Court　to　the　palace　of　Whitehall　by　water。　　The　gay　and　goodly　procession　formed　on　that　occasion　has　been　described　as　〃the　most　magnificent　triumph　that　ever　floated　on；　the　Thames。〃　First　came　barges　belonging　to　city　companies；　beginning　with　the　mercers　and　grocers；　most　of　them　being　attended　with　a　pageant；　and　all　of　them　richly　adorned　as　became　their　affection　and　loyalty。　　Then　followed　barges　of　statesmen；　nobility；　and　courtiers；　with　their　retinues；　brave　in　numbers；　gay　in　colours；　and　attended　by　bands　of　music。　　And　finally　came　the　king　and　queen；　seated　side　by　side　in　a　galley　of　antique　shape；　all　draped　with　crimson　damask；　bearing　a　canopy　of　cloth　of　gold；　supported　by　Corinthian　pillars；　wreathed　with　ribbons；　and　festooned　with　garlands　of　fragrant　flowers。
  The　whole　city　was　abroad；　watchful　of　their　approach；　the　Thames　was　covered　with　boats　to　the　number　of　ten　thousand；　and　the　banks　were　crowded　with　spectators　beyond　reckoning。　　On　this　fair　August　day　the　sky　had　not　a　single　cloud　to　mar　its　universal　blue；　the　sun　shone　gloriously　bright；　turning　the　river　to　sheets　of　gleaming　gold：　　whilst　the　air　was　filled　with　roaring　of　cannon；　strains　of　music；　and　hearty　shouts　of　a　loyal　multitude。
  Mr。　Samuel　Pepys；　though　he　offered　as　much　as　eight　shillings　for　a　boat　to　attend　him　that　day；　could　not　obtain　one；　and　was　therefore　obliged　to　view　this　gallant　procession　from　the　roof　of　the　royal　banqueting　hall；　which　commanded　a　glorious　view　of　the　Thames。　　But　what　pleased　his　erratic　fancy　best　on　this　occasion　was；　not　the　great　spectacle　he　had　taken　such　trouble　to　survey；　but　a　sight　of　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　who　stood　over　against　him　〃upon　a　piece　of　Whitehall。〃　The　worthy　clerk　of　the　Admiralty　〃glutted〃　himself　with　looking　on　her；　〃but　methought　it　was　strange；〃　says　he；　〃to　see　her　lord　and　her　upon　the　same　place　walking　up　and　down　without　taking　notice　of　one　another；　only　at　first　entry　he　put　off　his　hat；　and　she　made　him　a　very　civil　salute；　but　afterwards　took　no　notice　of　one　another；　but　both　of　them　now　and　then　would　take　their　child；　which　the　nurse　held　in　her　arms；　and　dandle　it。　　One　thing　more：　　there　happened　a　scaffold　below　to　fall；　and　we　feared　some　hurt；　but　there　was　none；　but　she　of　all　the　great　ladies　only　ran　down　among　the　common　rabble　to　see　what　hurt　was　done；　and　did　take　care　of　a　child　that　received　some　little　hurt；　which　methought　was　so　noble。　　Anon　there　came　one　there　booted　and　spurred；that　she　talked　long　with。　　And　by…and…by；　she　being　in　her　haire；　she　put　on　her　hat；　which　was　but　an　ordinary　one；　to　keep　the　wind　off。　But　methinks　it　became　her　mightily；　as　everything　else　do。〃
  It　was　notable　the　countess　did　not　accompany　her　majesty　in　the　procession　to　Whitehall；　as　one　of　her　attendants；　but　in　fact　she　had　not　obtained　the　position　sought　for；　though　she　enjoyed　all　the　privileges　pertaining　to　such　an　appointment。　　〃Everybody　takes　her　to　be　of　the　bedchamber；〃　the　lord　chancellor　writes　to　the　Duke　of　Ormond；　〃for　she　is　always　there；　and　goes　abrode　in　the　coach。　　But　the　queen　tells　me　that　the　king　promised　her；　on　condition　she　would　use　her　as　she　doth　others；　that　she　should　never　live　in　court；　yet　lodgings　I　hear　she　hath。〃　Lodgings　the　countess　certainly　had　provided　for　her　in　that　block　of　the　palace　of　Whitehall；　separated　from　the　main　buildings　by　the　old　roadway　running　between　Westminster　and　the　city。
  A　few　days　after　their　majesties'　arrival　at　Whitehall；　the　queen　mother　returned　to　town；　and　established　her　court　at　Somerset　House；　which　had　been　prepared　for　her　future　abode。　　She　had　arrived　in　England　before　the　king　and　queen　left　Hampton　Court；　and　had　taken　up　her　residence　at　Greenwich　Palace。　　The　avowed　object　of　her　visit　was　to　congratulate　them　upon　their　marriage。　Charles　and　his　bride　therefore　took　barge　to　Greenwich；　one　bright　July　day；　followed　by　a　brilliant　and　illustrious　train；　that　they　might　wait　upon　her　majesty。　　And　she；　being　made　aware　of　their　approach；　met　them　at　the　portal　of　the　palace。　　There　Catherine　would　have　gone　down　upon　her　knees　to　this　gracious　ladythe　survivor　of　great　sorrowsbut　she　took　the　young　queen　in　her　arms；　and　calling　her　beloved　daughter；　kissed　her　many　times。　　Then　she　greeted　her　sons　Charles　and　James；　likewise　the　Duchess　of　York；　and　led　them　to　the　presence…chamber；　followed　by　the　whole　court。　　And　presently　when　Catherine　would；　through　her　interpreter；　have　expressed　her　gratitude　and　affection；　the　elder　queen　besought　her　to　lay　aside　all　ceremony；　for　she　〃should　never　have　come　to　England　again　except　for　the　pleasure　of　seeing　her；　to　love　her　as　her　daughter；　and　serve　her　as　her　queen。〃　　At　these　sweet　words　the　young　wife；　now　in　the　first　days　of　her　grief；　was　almost　overcome　by　a　sense　of　thankfulness；　and　could　scarce　restrain　her　tears；　but　she　answered　bravely；　〃Believe　me；　madam；　that　in　love　and　obedience　neither　the　king　nor　any　of　your　children　shall　exceed　me。〃
  The　court　of　the　merry　monarch　and　that　of　the　queen　mother　being　now　settled　in　town；　a　period　of　vast　brilliancy　ensued；　during　which　great　festivity　and　much　scandal　obtained；　by　reason　of　intrigues　in　which　the　king　and　his　friends　indulged。　　Whitehall；　the　scene　of　so　much　gaiety　and　gallantry；　was　a　palace　by　no　means　befitting　the　luxurious　Charles。　　It　consisted　of　a　series　of　irregular　houses　built　for　different　purposes　at　various　periods；　these　contained　upwards　of　two　thousand　rooms；　most　of　which　were　small；　and　many　of　which　were　without　doors。　　The　buildings　were　intersected　by　grassy　squares；　where　fountains　played；　statues　were　grouped；　and　dials　shadowed　the　passing　hour。　　At　hand　stood　St。　James's　Park；　with　its　fair　meadows　and　leafy　trees；　close　by　flowed　the　placid　Thames；　bearing　heavily　laden　lighters　and　innumerable　barges。　　Attached　to　these　dwellings；　and　forming　part　of　the　palace；　stood　the　great　banquet　hall；　erected　from　designs　by　Inigo　Jones　for　James　I。　Here　audiences　to　ambassadors；　state　balls；　and　great　banquets　were　held。　　The　ceiling　was　painted　by　Rubens；　and　was；　moreover；　handsomely　moulded　and　richly　gilt。　　Above　the　entrance…door　stood　a　statue　of　Charles　I。；〃whose　majestic　mien　delighted　the　spectator；〃　Whilst　close　by　one　of　the　windows　were　the　ineradicable　stains　of　blood；　marking　the　spot　near　which　he　had　been　beheaded。
  Now　in　the　train　of　the　queen　mother　there　had　travelled　from　France　〃a　most　pretty　sparke　of　about　fourteen　years；〃　whom　Mr。　Pepys　plainly　terms　〃the　king's　bastard；〃　but　who　was　known　to　the　court　as　young　Mr。　Crofts。　　This　little　gentleman　was　son　of　Lucy　Walters；　〃a　brown；　beautiful；　bold　creature；〃　who　had　the　distinction　of　being　first　mistress　to　the　merry　monarch。　　That　he　was　his　offspring　the　king　entertained　no　doubt；　though　others　did；　inasmuch　as　young　Mr。　Crofts　grew　to　resemble；　〃even　to　the　wart　on　his　face；〃　Colonel　Robert　Sidney；　whose　paramour　Lucy　Walters　had　been　a　brief　while　before　his　majesty　began　an　intrigue　with　her。　　Soon　after　the　boy's　birth　that　beautiful　woman　abandoned　herself　to　pleasures；　in　which　the　king　had　no　participation。　　He　therefore　parted　from　her；　had　her　son　placed　under　the　guardianship　of　Lord　Crofts；　whose　name　he　bore；　and　educated　by　the　Peres　de　l'Oratoire　at　Paris。　　The　while　he　was　continually　at　the　court　of　the　queen　mother；　who　regarded　him　as　her　grandson；　and　who；　by　the　king's　command；　now　brought　him　into　England。　　The　beauty　of　his　face　and　grace　of　his　figure　could　not　be　exceeded；　whilst　his　manner　was　as　winning　as　his　air　was　noble。　　Moreover；　his　accomplishments　were　numerous；　he　danced　to　perfection；　sang　with　sweetness；　rode　with　skill；　and　so　gallant　was　his　nature　that　he　became　at　this　early　age；　as　Hamilton　affirms；　〃the　universal　terror　of　husbands　and　lovers。〃
  The　king　betrayed　the　greatest　affection　for　him；　and　took　exceeding　pride　in　being　father　of　such　a　brave　and　comely　youth；　at　which　my　Lady　Castlemaine　was　both　wrathful　and　jealous；　fearing　he　would　avert　the　royal　favour　from　her　own　offspring；　but　these　feelings　she　afterwards　overcame；　as　will　be　duly　shown。　　His　majesty　speedily　showered　honours　upon　him；　allotted　him　a　suite　of　apartments　in　the　royal　palace　of　Whitehall；　appointed　him　a　retinue　befitting　the　heir　apparent；　c