rous　of　picking　a　quarrel　with　his　rival；　he　was　unwilling　to　suffer　his　impertinent　interference。　　Jermyn；　on　the　other　hand；　not　being　aware　of　Howard's　real　character；　sought　an　early　opportunity　of　insulting　him。　　Such　being　their　dispositions；　a　quarrel　speedily　ensued；　which　happened　in　this　manner。
  One　fair　summer　day　Captain　Howard　gave　an　entertainment　at　Spring　Gardens；　in　honour　of　the　countess。　　These　gardens　were　situated　close　by　Charing　Cross；　and　opened　into　the　spacious　walks　of　St。　James's　Park。　　Bounded　on　one　side　by　a　grove；　and　containing　leafy　arbours　and　numerous　thickets；　the　gardens　were　〃contrived　to　all　the　advantages　of　gallantry。〃　　The　scene　of　many　an　intrigue；　they　were　constantly　frequented　by　denizens　of　the　court　and　dwellers　in　the　city；　to　whom　they　afforded　recreation　and　pleasure。　　In　the　centre　of　these　fair　gardens　stood　a　cabaret；　or　house　of　entertainment；　where　repasts　were　served　at　exceeding　high　prices；　and　much　good　wine　was　drunk。　Here　it　was　Captain　Howard　received　my　Lady　Shrewsbury　and　a　goodly　company；　spread　a　delicate　banquet　for　them；　and　for　their　better　diversion　provided　some　excellent　music　played　upon　the　bagpipes；　by　a　soldier　noted　for　his　execution　on　that　instrument。
  Jermyn　hearing　of　the　great　preparations　Captain　Howard　made；　resolved　to　be　present　on　the　occasion；　and　accordingly；　before　the　hour　appointed　for　dinner；　betook　himself　to　the　garden；　and　as　if　he　had　arrived　there　by　accident；　strolled　leisurely　down　the　broad　pleasant　paths；　bordered　by　pinks　and　fragrant　roses　clustering　in　the　hedgerows。　　And　presently　drawing　nigh　the　cabaret；　he　tarried　there　until　the　countess；　rich　in　physical　graces；　with　sunny　smiles　upon　her　lips；　and　amorous　light　in　her　eyes；　stepped　forth　upon　the　balcony　and　greeted　him。　　Whereon　his　heart　took　fire：　　and　entering　the　house；　he　joined　her　where　she　stood；　and　held　pleasant　converse　with　her。　　Inflated　by　his　success；　he　resolved　on　making　himself　disagreeable　to　the　host；　and　therefore　ventured　to　criticize　the　entertainment；　and　ridicule　the　music；　which　he　voted　barbarous　to　civilized　ears。　And　to　such　an　extent　did　he　outrage　Thomas　Howard；　that　the　gallant　captain；　being　more　of　a　soldier　than　a　courtier；　and　therefore　preferring　passages　at　arms　to　those　of　wit；　could　scarce　refrain　from　drawing　his　sword　and　demanding　the　satisfaction　due　to　him。
  However；　he　subdued　his　wrath　till　the　day　was　spent；　and　early　next　morning　sent　a　challenge　to　his　rival。　　Accordingly　they　met　with　fierce　intent；　and　the　duel　which　followed　ended　almost　fatally　for　Jermyn；　who　was　carried　from　the　scene　of　encounter　bleeding　from　three　wounds　caused　by　his　antagonist's　sword。
  The　unfortunate　issue　of　this　fight　deprived　Lady　Shrewsbury　of　two　lovers；　for　Howard；　having　rendered　Jermyn　unable　to　perform　the　part　of　a　gallant；　was　obliged　to　fly　from　the　country　and　remain　abroad　some　time。
  In　their　stead　the　countess　sought　consolation　in　the　companionship　of　Thomas　Killigrew；　a　handsome　man　and　a　notable　courtier。　　She　therefore　had　no　regrets　for　the　past：　　and　he　was　entirely　happy　in　the　present；　so　that　he　boasted　of　his　felicities　to　all　acquaintance；　in　general；　and　to　his　friend　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　in　particular。　　It　was　Killigrew's　constant　habit　to　sup　with　his　grace；　on　which　occasions　his　conversation　invariably　turned　on　her　ladyship；　when；　his　imagination　being　heated　by　wine；　he　freely　endowed　her　with　the　perfections　of　a　goddess。　　To　such　descriptions　the　duke　could　not　listen　unmoved；　and　therefore　resolved　to　judge　for　himself　if　indeed　the　countess　was　such　a　model　of　loveliness　as　Killigrew　represented。　Accordingly；　at　the　first　opportunity　which　presented　itself；　the　duke　made　love　to　her；　and　she；　nothing　averse　to　his　attentions；　encouraged　his　affections。　　Killigrew　was　much　aggrieved　at　this　unexpected　turn　of　affairs；　and　bitterly　reproached　the　countess；　but　she；　being　mistress　of　the　situation；　boldly　denied　all　knowledge　of　him。
  This　was　more　than　he　expected　or　could　endure；　and　he　consequently　abused　her　roundly　in　all　companies；　characterizing　the　charms　of　which　he　once　boasted　as　faults　he　could　not　endure；　ridiculing　her　airs；　and　denouncing　her　conduct。　　Reports　of　his　comments　and　discourses　speedily　reached　Lady　Shrewsbury's　ears；　and　he　was　privately　warned　that　if　he　did　not　desist　means　would　be　taken　to　silence　him　effectually。　　Not　being　wise　enough　to　accept　this　hint　he　continued　to　vilify　her。　　The　result　was；　one　night　when　returning　from　the　Duke　of　York's　apartments　he　was　suddenly　waylaid　in　St。　James's　Park；　and　three　passes　of　a　sword　made　at　him　through　his　chair；　one　of　which　pierced　his　arm。　　Not　doubting　they　had　despatched　him　to　a　better　world；　His　assailants　made　their　escape；　and　my　Lady　Shrewsbury；　who　singularly　enough　happened　to　be　passing　at　the　time　in　her　coach；　and　had　stopped　to　witness　the　proceedings；　drove　off　as　speedily　as　six　horses　could　carry　her。
  Knowing　it　would　be　impossible　to　trace　the　villainy　which　had　prompted　this　deed　to　its　source；　Killigrew　said　not　a　word　concerning　the　murderous　attempt；　and　henceforth　held　his　peace　regarding　his　late　mistress's　imperfections。　　For　some　time　she　continued　her　intrigue　with　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　without　interference。　　But　in　an　evil　hour　it　happened　the　Earl　of　Shrewsbury；　who　had　long　entertained　a　philosophical　indifference　towards　her　previous　amours；　now　undertook　to　defend　his　honour；　which　it　was　clear　his　Grace　of　Buckingham　had　sadly　injured。
  Accordingly　he　challenged　the　duke　to　combat；　and　in　due　time　they　met　face　to　face　in　a　field　by　Barnes　Elms。　　His　grace　had　as　seconds　Sir　Robert　Holmes　and　Captain　William　Jenkins；　the　earl　being　supported　by　Sir　John　Talbot　and　Bernard　Howard；　son　of　my　Lord　Arundel。　　The　fight　was　brief　and　bloody；　Lord　Shrewsbury；　being　run　through　the　body；　was　carried　from　the　field　in　an　insensible　condition。　　The　duke　received　but　a　slight　wound；　but　his　friend　Captain　Jenkins　was　killed　upon　the　spot。　The　while　swords　clashed；　blood　flowed；　and　lives　hung　in　a　balance；　the　woman　who　wrought　this　evil　stood　close　by；　disguised　as　a　page；　holding　the　bridle　of　her　lover's　horse；　as　Lord　Orford　mentions。
  In　consequence　of　this　duel　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　absented　himself　from　the　capital；　but　two　months　after　its　occurrence　King　Charles　was　pleased；　〃in　contemplation　of　the　services　heretofore　done　to　his　majesty　by　most　of　the　persons　engaged　in　the　late　duel　or　rencontre；　to　graciously　pardon　the　said　offence。〃　　Three　months　after　the　day　on　which　he　fought；　Lord　Shrewsbury　died　from　effects　of　his　wounds；　when　the　duke　boldly　carried　the　widow　to　his　home。　　The　poor　duchess；　who　had　patiently　borne　many　wrongs；　could　not　stand　this　grievous　and　public　insult；　and　declared　she　would　not　live　under　the　same　roof　with　so　shameless　a　woman。　　〃So　I　thought；　madam；〃　rejoined　her　profligate　lord；　〃and　have　therefore　ordered　your　coach　to　convey　you　to　your　father。〃
  The　countess　continued　to　live　with　her　paramour；　nor　was　the　court　scandalized。　　The　queen；　it　is　true；　openly　espoused　the　cause　of　the　outraged　duchess；　and　sought　to　enlist　sympathy　on　her　behalf；　but　so　low　was　the　tone　of　public　morality　that　her　words　were　unheeded；　and　no　voice　was　raised　in　protest　against　this　glaring　infamy。　　Nay；　the　duke　went　further　still　in　his　efforts　towards　injuring　the　wife　to　whom　he　owed　so　much；　and　who　loved　him　over…well；　as　he　caused　his　chaplain；　the　Rev。　Thomas　Sprat；　to　marry　him　to　my　Lady　Shrewsbury；　and　subsequently　conferred　on　the　son　to　which　she　gave　birth；　and　for　whom　the　king　stood　godfather；　his　second　title　of　Earl　of　Coventry。　　His　wife　was　henceforth　styled　by　the　courtiers　Dowager　Duchess　of　Buckingham。　　It　is　worthy　of　mention　that　the　Rev。　Thomas　Sprat　in　good　time　became　Bishop　of　Rochester；　and；　it　is　written；　〃an　ornament　to　the　church　among　those　of　the　highest　order。〃
  One　of　the　most　extraordinary　characters　which　figured　in　this　reign　was　Thomas　Blood；　sometimes　styled　colonel。　　He　was　remarkable　for　his　great　strength；　high　courage；　and　love　of　adventure。　　The　son　of　an　Irish　blacksmith；　he　had；　on　the　outbreak　of　civil　warfare　in　his　native　country；　joined　Cromwell's　army；　and　for　the　bravery　he　evinced　was　raised　to　the　rank　of　lieutenant；　rewarded　by　a　substantial　grant　of　land；　and　finally　made　a　justice　of　the　peace。　　At　the　restoration　he　was　deprived　of　this　honour；　as　he　was　likewise　of　the　property　he　called　his；　which　was　returned　to　its　rightful　owner；　an　honest　royalist。　　Wholly　dissatisfied　with　a　government　which　dealt　him　such　hardships；　he　organised　a　plot　to　raise　an　insurrection　in　Ireland；　storm　Dublin　Castle；　and　seize　the　Duke　of　Ormond；　then　lord　lieutenant。　　This　dark　scheme　was　discovered　by　his　grace；　the　chief　conspirators　were　accordingly　seized；　with　the　exception　of　Blood；　who　succeeded　in　making　his　escape　to　Holland。　　His　fellow　traitors　were　tried　and　duly　executed。
  From　Holland；　Blood　journeyed　into　England；　where；　becoming　acquainted　with　some　republicans；　he　entered　into　projects　with　them　calculated　to　disturb　the　nation's　peace；　which　fact　becoming　known；　he　was　obliged　to　seek　ref