den　revenge；　the　Thames　flowing　close　beneath　it；　he　cast　his　eyes　upon　it；　and　seeing　those　of　the　king　more　incensed　than　fired　with　indignation　than　he　thought　his　nature　capable　of；　he　made　a　profound　bow；　and　retired　without　replying　a　single　word　to　the　vast　torrent　of　threats　and　menaces　that　were　poured　upon　him。
  〃Miss　Stuart　having　a　little　recovered　from　her　first　surprise；　instead　of　justifying　herself；　began　to　talk　in　the　most　extravagant　manner；　and　said　everything　that　was　most　capable　to　inflame　the　king's　passion　and　resentment：　　that　if　she　were　not　allowed　to　receive　visits　from　a　man　of　the　Duke　of　Richmond's　rank；　who　came　with　honourable　intentions；　she　was　a　slave　in　a　free　country；　that　she　knew　of　no　engagement　that　could　prevent　her　from　disposing　of　her　hand　as　she　thought　proper；　but；　however；　if　this　were　not　permitted　her　in　his　dominions；　she　did　not　believe　that　there　was　any　power　on　earth　that　could　hinder　her　from　going　over　to　France；　and　throwing　herself　into　a　Convent；　to　enjoy　there　that　tranquillity　which　was　denied　her　in　his　court。　　The　king；　sometimes　furious　with　anger；　sometimes　relenting　at　her　tears；　and　sometimes　terrified　at　her　menaces；　was　so　greatly　agitated　that　he　knew　not　how　to　answer　either　the　nicety　of　a　creature　who　wanted　to　act　the　part　of　Lucretia　under　his　own　eye；　or　the　assurance　with　which　she　had　the　effrontery　to　reproach　him。　　In　this　suspense　love　had　almost　entirely　vanquished　all　his　resentments；　and　had　nearly　induced　him　to　throw　himself　upon　his　knees；　and　entreat　pardon　for　the　injury　he　had　done　her；　when　she　desired　him　to　retire；　and　leave　her　in　repose；　at　least　for　the　remainder　of　that　night；　without　offending　those　who　had　either　accompanied　him；　or　conducted　him　to　her　apartments；　by　a　longer　visit。　　This　impertinent　request　provoked　and　irritated　him　to　the　highest　degree：　　he　went　out　abruptly；　vowing　never　to　see　her　more；　and　passed　the　most　restless　and　uneasy　night　he　had　ever　experienced　since　his　restoration。〃
  Next　morning；　his　majesty　sent　orders　to　the　Duke　of　Richmond　to　quit　the　court；　and　never　appear　again　in　his　presence。　　His　grace；　however；　stayed　not　to　receive　this　message；　having　betaken　himself　with　all　possible　speed　into　the　country。　　Miss　Stuart；　who　likewise　feared　the　king's　resentment；　hastened　to　the　queen；　and　throwing　herself　at　her　majesty's　feet；　entreated　forgiveness　for　the　pain　and　uneasiness　she　had　caused　her　in　the　past；　and　besought　her　care　and　protection　in　the　future。
  She　then　laid　bare　her　intentions　of　marrying　the　Duke　of　Richmond；　who　had　loved　her　long；　and　was　anxious　to　wed　her　soon；　but　since　the　discovery　of　his　addresses　had　caused　his　banishment；　and　created　disturbances　prejudicial　to　her　good　name；　she　begged　the　queen　would　obtain　his　majesty's　consent　to　her　retiring　from　the　vexations　of　a　court　to　the　tranquillity　of　a　convent。　　The　queen　raised　her　up；　mingled　her　tears　with　those　of　the　troubled　maid；　and　promised　to　use　her　endeavours　towards　averting　the　king's　displeasure。
  On　consideration；　however；　the　fair　Stuart　did　not　wait　to　hear　his　majesty's　reproaches；　or　receive　his　entreaties；　for　the　duke；　being　impatient　to　gain　his　promised　bride；　quietly　returned　to　town；　and　secretly　communicated　with　her。　　It　was　therefore　agreed　between　them　she　should　steal　away　from　the　palace；　meet　him　at　the　〃Bear　at　the　Bridge　Foot；〃　situated　on　the　Southwark　side　of　the　river；　where　he　would　have　a　coach　awaiting　her；　in　order　they　might　ride　away　to　his　residence　at　Cobham　Hall；　near　Gravesend；　and　then　be　legally　and　happily　united　in　the　holy　bonds　of　matrimony。　　And　all　fell　out　as　had　been　arranged：　　the　time　being　the　month　of　March；　1667。
  Now　when　the　king　discovered　her　flight；　his　anger　knew　no　bounds；　though　it　sought　relief　in　uttering　many　violent　threats　against　the　duke；　and　in　sending　word　to　the　duchess　he　would　see　her　no　more。　　In　answer　to　this　message；　she；　with　some　show　of　spirit；　returned　him　the　jewels　he　had　given　her；　principal　amongst　which　were　a　necklace　of　pearls；　valued　at　over　a　thousand　pounds；　and　a　pair　of　diamond　pendants　of　rare　lustre。
  Neither　she　nor　her　husband　paid　much　heed　to　the　royal　menaces；　for　before　a　year　elapsed　they　both　returned　to　town；　and　took　up　their　residence　at　Somerset　House。　　Here；　as　Pepys　records；　she　kept　a　great　court；　〃she　being　visited　for　her　beauty's　sake　by　people；　as　the　queen　is　at　nights：　　and　they　say　also　she　is　likely　to　go　to　court　again　and　there　put　my　Lady　Castlemaine's　nose　out　of　joint。　　God　knows　that　would　make　a　great　turn。〃　　But　to　such　proposals　as　were　made　regarding　her　return　to　Whitehall；　her　husband　would　not　pay　heed；　and　she　therefore　remained　a　stranger　to　its　drawing…rooms　for　some　time　longer。　　And　when　two　years　later　she　appeared　there；　her　beauty　had　lost　much　of　its　famed　lustre；　for　meantime　she　was　overtaken　by　smallpox；　a　scourge　ever　prevalent　in　the　capital。　　During　her　illness　the　king　paid　her　several　visits；　and　was　sorely　grieved　that　the　loveliness　he　so　much　prized　should　be　marred　by　foul　disease。　But　on　her　recovery；　the　disfigurement　she　suffered　scarce　lessened　his　admiration；　and　by　no　means　abated　his　love；　which　seemed　to　have　gained　fresh　force　from　the　fact　of　its　being　interrupted　awhile。
  This　soon　became　perceptible　to　all；　and　rumour　whispered　that　the　young　duchess　would　shortly　return　to　Whitehall　in　a　position　which　she　had　declined　before　marriage。　　And　amongst　other　stories　concerning　the　king's　love　for　her；　it　was　common　talk　that　one　fair　evening　in　May；　when　he　had　ordered　his　coach　to　be　ready　that　he　might　take　an　airing　in　the　park；　he；　on　a　sudden　impulse；　ran　down　the　broad　steps　leading　from　his　palace　gardens　to　the　riverside。　　Here；　entering　a　boat　alone；　he　rowed　himself　adown　the　placid　river　now　crossed　by　early　shadows；　until　he　came　to　Somerset　House；　where　his　lady…love　dwelt；　and　finding　the　garden…door　locked；　he；　in　his　impatience　to　be　with　her；　clambered　over　the　wall　and　sought　her。　　Two　months　after　the　occurrence　of　this　incident；　the　young　duchess　was　appointed　a　lady　of　the　bedchamber　to　the　queen；　and　therefore　had　apartments　at　Whitehall。　　There　was　little　doubt　now　entertained　she　any　longer　rejected　his　majesty's　love；　and　in　order　to　remove　all　uncertainties　on　the　point　which　might　arise　in　her　husband's　mind；　the　king　one　night；　when　he　had　taken　over　much　wine；　boasted　to　the　duke　of　her　complaisancy。　　Lord　Dartmouth；　who　tells　this　story；　says　this　happened　〃at　Lord　Townshend's；　in　Norfolk；　as　my　uncle　told　me；　who　was　present。〃　　Soon　after　his　grace　accepted　an　honourable　exile　as　ambassador　to　Denmark；　in　which　country　he　died。
  During　the　absence　of　the　Duchess　of　Richmond；　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　then　in　the　uninterrupted　possession　of　power；　led　his　majesty　a　sorry　life。　　Her　influence；　indeed；　seemed　to　increase　with　time；　until　her　victim　became　a　laughing…stock　to　the　heartless；　and　an　object　of　pity　to　the　wise。　　Mr。　Povy；　whose　office　as　a　member　of　the　Tangier　Commission　brought　him　into　continual　contact　with　the　court；　and　whose　love　of　gossip　made　him　observant　of　all　that　passed　around　him；　in　telling　of　〃the　horrid　effeminacy　of　the　king；〃　said　that　〃upon　any　falling　out　between　my　Lady　Castlemaine's　nurse　and　her　woman；　my　lady　hath　often　said　she　would　make　the　king　make　them　friends；　and　they　would　be　friends　and　be　quietwhich　the　king　had　been　fain　to　do。〃　　Nor　did　such　condescension　on　his　majesty's　part　incline　his　mistress　to　treat　him　with　more　respect；　for　in　the　quarrels　which　now　became　frequent　betwixt　them　she　was　wont　to　term　him　a　fool；　in　reply　to　the　kingly　assertion　that　she　was　a　jade。
  The　disturbances　which　troubled　the　court　were　principally　caused　by　her　infidelities　to　him；　and　his　subsequent　jealousies　of　her。　Chief　among　those　who　shared　her　intrigues　at　this　time　was　Harry　Jermyn；　with　whom　she　renewed　her　intimacy　from　time　to　time；　without　the　knowledge　of　his　majesty。　　The　risks　she　frequently　encountered　in　pursuit　of　her　amours　abounded　in　comedy。　Speaking　of　Harry　Jermyn；　Pepys　tells　us　the　king　〃had　like　to　have　taken　him　abed　with　her；　but　that　he　was　fain　to　creep　under　the　bed　into　the　closet。〃　　It　being　now　rumoured　that　Jermyn　was　about　to　wed　my　Lady　Falmouth；　the　countess's　love　for　one　whom　she　might　for　ever　lose　received　a　fresh　impulse；　which　made　her　reckless　of　concealment。　　The　knowledge　of　her　passion；　therefore；　coming　to　Charles's　ears；　a　bitter　feud　sprang　up　between　them；　during　which　violent　threats　and　abusive　language　were　freely　exchanged。
  At　this　time　my　lady　was　far　gone　with　child；　a　fact　that　soon　came　bubbling　up　to　the　angry　surface　of　their　discourse；　for　the　king　avowed　he　would　not　own　it　as　his　offspring。　　On　hearing　this；　her　passion　became　violent　beyond　all　decent　bounds。　　〃God　damn　me；　but　you　shall　own　it！〃　　said　she；　her　cheeks　all　crimson　and　her　eyes　afire；　and　moreover　she　added；　〃she　should　have　it　christened　in　the　Chapel　Royal；　and　owned　as　his；　or　otherwise　she　would　bring　it　to　the　gallery　in　Whitehall；　and　dash　its　brains　out　before　his　face。〃
  After　she　had　hectored　him　almost　out　of　his　wits；　she　fled　in　a　state　o