d　unbecomingly；　and　gossiped　freely。
  Now　in　order　to　avoid　further　observation　at　such　times；　and　silence　rumours　which　consequently　obtained；　his　majesty　removed　the　countess　from　her　lodgings　in　that　part　of　the　palace　divided　by　the　road　leading　to　Westminster　from　the　chief　block；　and　furnished　her　with　apartments　next　his　own　chamber。　　The　poor　queen；　who　had　sought　by　every　means　in　her　power　to　win　his　affection；　was　sorely　grieved　at　this　action；　and　moreover　depressed　by　the　neglect　to　which　she　was　continually　subjected。　Sometimes　four　months　were　allowed　to　pass　without　his　deigning　to　sup　with　her；　though　the　whole　court　was　aware　he　constantly　paid　that　honour　to　her　infamous　rival。　　But　knowing　how　unavailing　reproach　would　be；　she　held　her　peace；　and　feeling　how　obtrusive　her　sorrow　would　seem；　she　hid　her　tears。　　Now　and　again；　however；　a　look　would　flash　in　her　eyes；　and　an　answer　rise　to　her　lips；　which　showed　how　deeply　she　felt　her　bitter　wrongs。　　〃I　wonder　your　majesty　has　the　patience　to　sit　so　long　adressing；〃　said　my　Lady　Castlemaine　to　her　one　morning　when　she　found　her　yet　in　the　dresser's　hands。　　〃I　have　so　much　reason　to　use　patience；〃　answered　the　neglected　wife；　〃that　I　can　very　well　bear　with　it。〃
  And　so　the　countess　continued　to　reign　paramount　in　his　majesty's　favour　until　the　middle　of　July；　1663；　when　a　rumour　spread　through　the　town　that　she　had　quarrelled　with　the　king；　and　had　consequently　fallen　from　her　high　estate。　　The　cause　of　disagreement　between　the　monarch　and　his　mistress　is　narrated　by　the　French　ambassador　in　a　letter　to　Louis　XIV。
  By　this　time　the　fair　Stuart　had　so　increased　in　his　majesty's　favour；　that　my　Lady　Castlemaine　began　to　see　the　indiscretion　of　which　she　had　been　guilty　in　bringing　her　so　constantly　into　his　presence；　and　moreover　to　fear　her　influence　over　his　fickle　heart。　　Accordingly　she　refused　to　invite　the　maid　of　honour　to　her　apartments；　or　entertain　her　at　her　assemblies。　　At　this　the　king　became　exceedingly　wrathful；　and　told　my　lady　he　would　not　enter　her　rooms　again　unless　Miss　Stuart　was　there。　　Thereon　the　charming　countess　flew　into　a　violent　passion；　roundly　abused　his　majesty；　called　her　carriage；　and　protesting　she　would　never　again　enter　the　palace　of　Whitehall；　drove　off　in　a　rage　to　the　residence　of　her　uncle　at　Richmond。　　The　monarch　had　not　expected　his　words　would　cause　such　fury；　nor　did　he　desire　her　departure；　and　no　sooner　had　she　gone　than　he　began　to　regret　her　absence　and　long　for　her　return。
  Therefore　next　morning　he　made　pretence　of　hunting；　and　turning　his　horse's　head　in　the　direction　of　Richmond；　called　on　his　mistress；　when　he　apologized　to　and　made　friends　with　her。　　She　therefore　returned　and　exercised　her　old　ascendancy　over　him　once　more。　　It　is　probable　his　majesty　was　the　more　anxious　to　pacify　her；　from　the　fact　that　she　was　now　far　advanced　in　her　third　pregnancy；　for　two　months　later　she　gave　birth　to　her　second　son；　who　was　baptized　Henry　Fitzroy；　and　subsequently　created　Duke　of　Grafton。
  And　it　happened　about　this　time；　that　the　queen；　falling　ill；　drew　near　unto　death。　　On　Friday；　the　14th　October；　1663；　a　fever　took　possession　of　her；　when　the　doctors　were　summoned；　her　head　shaven；　and　pigeons　put　to　her　feet。　　Her　illness；　however；　rapidly　increased；　and　believing　she　was　about　to　leave　a　world　in　which　her　young　life　had　known　so　much　sorrow；　she　made　her　will；　put　her　affairs　in　order；　and　received　extreme　unction。　Upon　this　the　king；　mindful　of　grievous　injuries　he　had　done　her；　was　sorely　troubled　in　his　heart；　and　going　to　her　chamber；　flung　himself　at　the　foot　of　her　bed　and　burst　into　tears；　as　the　French　ambassador　narrates。
  It　is　said　women　love　best　men　who　treat　them　worst。　　If　this　be　so；　God；　alone　who　made　them　knows　wherefore；　for　it　is　given　no　man　to　understand　them　in　all。　　Now　her　majesty　proved　no　exception　to　this　rule　regarding　the　unreasonableness　of　her　sex　in　placing　their　affections　most　on　those　who　regard　them　least；　for　she　was　devoted　to　the　king。　　Therefore　the　evidence　of　his　grief　at　prospect　of　her　loss　touched　her　deeper　than　all　words　can　say；　and　with　much　sweetness　she　sought　to　soothe　and　console　him。
  She　told　him　she　had　no　desire　to　live；　and　no　sorrow　to　die；　save；　indeed；　that　caused　by　parting　from　him。　　She　hoped　he　would　soon　wed　a　consort　more　worthy　of　his　love　than　she　had　been；　one　who　would　contribute　more　to　his　happiness　and　the　satisfaction　of　the　nation　than　she　had。　　And　now　they　were　about　to　part；　she　had　two　requests　to　make：　　that　he　would　never　separate　his　interests　from　those　of　the　king　her　brother；　or　cease　to　protect　her　distressed　nation；　and　that　her　body　might　be　sent　back　to　Portugal　and　laid　in　the　tomb　of　her　ancestors。　At　this　the　king；　yet　on　his　knees　beside　her；　interrupted　her　only　by　his　sobs；　hearing　which　she　wept　likewise；　and　so　overcome　was　he　by　grief　that　he　was　obliged　to　be　led　from　her　room；
  The　court　was　saddened　by　her　majesty's　illness；　for　she　had　won　the　goodwill　of　all　by　the　kindness　of　her　disposition　and　gentleness　of　her　manner；　the　city　was　likewise　afflicted；　for　the　people　thought　so　good　a　queen　could　not　fail　in　time　to　reclaim　even　so　erratic　a　husband；　and　trade　became　suddenly　depressed。　　Crowds　gathered　by　night　and　by　day　outside　the　palace　to　learn　the　most　recent　change　in　her　majesty's　condition　many　thinking　her　death　inevitable；　because　the　doctors　had　pronounced　her　recovery　impossible。　　And　for　days　her　soul　hovered　betwixt　two　worlds。
  On　the　night　of　the　19th；　a　fierce　storm　raged　over　England；　and　Mr。　Pepys；　being　waked　by　the　roaring　of　mighty　winds；　turned　to　his　wife　and　said：　　〃I　pray　God　I　hear　not　of　the　death　of　any　great　person；　this　wind　is　so　high。〃　　And　fearing　the　queen　might　have　departed；　he　rose　betimes；　and　took　coach　to　the　palace　that　he　might　make　inquiries　concerning　her；　but　found　her　majesty　was　still　living。　　She　was　now；　however；　unconscious；　and　gave　free　voice　to　the　secret　sorrow　which　underlay　her　life；　because　she　had　not　borne　children　to　the　king。　　Had　she　given　him　heirs；　she　felt　assured　he　would　certainly　love　her　as　well　as　he　loved　his　mistresses；　and　would　feel　as　proud　of　her　offspring　as　of　those　borne　him　by　other　women。　　But　though　she　had　proved　capable　of　becoming　a　mother　on　more　than　one　occasion；　it　pleased　heaven　to　leave　her　childless；　to　her　great　grief。　　Therefore　in　her　delirium；　desires　shaped　themselves　to　realities；　and　she　believed　she　had　given　birth　to　three　children；　two　boys　and　a　girl。　　The　latter　she　fancied　much　resembled　the　king；　but　she　was　troubled　that　one　of　the　boys　was　plain　featured。　　And　seeing　her　grief　at　this；　his　majesty；　who　stood　by；　sought　in　pity　to　console　her；　saying　the　boy　was　indeed　pretty；　at　which　she　brightened　visibly；　and　answering　him　said：　　〃Nay；　if　it　be　like　you；　it　is　a　fine　boy　indeed；　and　I　would　be　very　well　pleased　with　it。〃　　This　delusion　continued　through　her　illness；　and　so　strongly　did　it　force　itself　upon　her　mind；　that　one　morning　when　she　was　on　her　way　to　recovery；　on　waking　suddenly　and　seeing　the　doctor　bending　over　her；　she　exclaimed；　〃How　do　the　children？〃
  Now　all　this　time；　whilst　the　shadow　of　death　lay　upon　the　palace；　and　laughter　and　music　were　no　longer　heard　within　its　walls；　there　was　one　of　its　inmates　who　pondered　much　upon　the　great　fortune　which　the　future　might　have　in　keeping　for　her。　This　was　fair　Frances　Stuart；　who；　not　having　yielded　to　the　king's　request　by　becoming　his　mistress；　now　entertained　high　hopes　of　being　made　his　wife。　　In　this　dream　she　was；　moreover；　flattered　by　an　unusual　deference　and　high　respect　paid　her　by　the　court　since　the　beginning　of　her　majesty's　illness。　　The　king　continued　his　attentions　to　her；　for　though　he　had　proved　himself　〃fondly　disconsolate〃　and　wept　sorely　for　her　majesty；　he　never　during　her　sickness　omitted　an　opportunity　of　conversing　with　Miss　Stuart；　or　neglected　supping　with　Lady　Castlemaine。　　But　the　hopes　entertained　by　the　maid　of　honour　were　speedily　overthrown；　for　contrary　to　all　expectation　the　queen　recovered；　and　was　so　well　on　the　10th　November　as　to　〃bespeak　herself　a　new　gowne〃
  And　so　the　court　remained　unchanged；　and　life　went　on　as　before；　the　queen　growing　gradually　stronger；　the　king　making　love　to　Miss　Stuart　by　day；　and　visiting　Lady　Castlemaine　by　night。　　And　it　happened　one　evening　when　he　went　to　sup　with　the　latter　there　was　a　chine　of　beef　to　roast；　and　no　fire　to　cook　it　because　the　Thames　had　flooded　the　kitchen。　　Hearing　which；　the　countess　called　out　to　the　cook；　〃Zounds；　you　must　set　the　house　on　fire　but　it　shall　he　roasted！〃　　And　roasted　it　was。
  CHAPTER　X。
  Notorious　courtiers。My　Lord　Rochester's　satires。Places　a　watch　on　certain　ladies　of　quality。His　majesty　becomes　indignant。Rochester　retires　to　the　country。Dons　a　disguise　and　returns　to　town。Practises　astrology。Two　maids　of　honour　seek　adventure。Mishaps　which　befell　them。Rochester　forgiven。　The　Duke　of　Buckingham。Lady　Shrewsbury　and　her　victims。　Captain　Howard's　duel。Lord　Shrewsbury　avenges　his　honour。A　strange　story。Colonel　Blood　attempts　an　abduction。Endeavours　to　steal　the　regalia。The　king　converses　with　him。
  Pr