ns　out　before　his　face。〃
  After　she　had　hectored　him　almost　out　of　his　wits；　she　fled　in　a　state　of　wild　excitement　from　the　palace；　and　took　up　her　abode　at　the　residence　of　Sir　Daniel　Harvey；　the　ranger　of　Richmond　Park。　　News　of　this　scene　spread　rapidly　through　the　court；　and　was　subsequently　discussed　in　the　coffee…houses　and　taverns　all　over　the　town；　where　great　freedom　was　made　with　the　lady's　name；　and　great　sport　of　the　king's　passion。　　And　now　it　was　said　the　monarch　had　parted　with　his　mistress　for　ever；　concerning　which　there　was　much　rejoicement　and　some　doubt。　　For　notwithstanding　the　king　had　passed　his　word　to　this　effect；　yet　it　was　known　though　his　spirit　was　willing　his　flesh　was　weak。　　Indeed；　three　days　had　scarcely　passed　when；　mindful　of　her　temper；　he　began　to　think　his　words　had　been　harsh；　and；　conscious　of　her　power；　he　concluded　his　vows　had　been　rash。　　He　therefore　sought　her　once　more；　but　found　she　was　not　inclined　to　relent；　until；　as　Pepys　was　assured；　this　monarch　of　most　feeble　spirit；　this　lover　of　most　ardent　temper；　〃sought　her　forgiveness　upon　his　knees；　and　promised　to　offend　her　no　more。〃
  CHAPTER　XIV。
  The　kingdom　in　peril。The　chancellor　falls　under　his　majesty's　displeasure。The　Duke　of　Buckingham's　mimicry。Lady　Castlemaine's　malice。Lord　Clarendon's　fall。The　Duke　of　Ormond　offends　the　royal　favourite。She　covers　him　with　abuse。Plots　against　the　Duke　of　York。Schemes　for　a　royal　divorce。Moll　Davis　and　Nell　Gwynn。The　king　and　the　comedian。Lady　Castlemaine　abandons　herself　to　great　disorders。Young　Jack　Spencer。The　countess　intrigues　with　an　acrobat。Talk　of　the　town。The　mistress　created　a　duchess。
  At　this　time　the　kingdom　stood　in　uttermost　danger；　being　brought　to　that　condition　by　his　majesty's　negligence　towards　its　concerns。　　The　peril　was；　moreover；　heightened　from　the　fact　of　the　king　being　impatient　to　rid　himself　of　those　who　had　the　nation's　credit　at　heart；　and　sought　to　uphold　its　interests。　　To　this　end　he　was　led　in　part　by　his　own　inclinations；　and　furthermore　by　his　friends'　solicitations。　　Foremost　amongst　those　with　whose　services　he　was　anxious　to　dispense；　were　the　chancellor；　my　Lord　Clarendon；　and　the　lord　lieutenant　of　Ireland；　his　grace　the　Duke　of　Ormond。
  The　king's　displeasure　against　these　men；　who　had　served　his　father　loyally；　himself　faithfully；　and　their　country　honestly；　was　instigated　through　hatred　borne　them　by　my　Lady　Castlemaine。　From　the　first　both　had　bewailed　the　monarch's　connection　with　her；　and　the　evil　influence　she　exercised　over　him。　　Accordingly；　after　the　pattern　of　honest　men；　they　had　set　their　faces　against　her。
  Not　only；　as　has　already　been　stated；　would　the　chancellor　refuse　to　let　any　document　bearing　her　name　pass　the　great　seal；　but　he　had　often　prevailed　with　the　king　to　alter　resolutions　she　had　persuaded　him　to　form。　　And　moreover　had　his　lordship　sinned　in　her　eyes　by　forbidding　his　wife　to　visit　or　hold　intercourse　with　her。　　These　were　sufficient　reasons　to　arouse　the　hatred　and　procure　the　revenge　of　this　malicious　woman；　who　was　now　virtually　at　the　head　of　the　kingdom。　　For　awhile；　however；　Charles；　mindful　of　the　services　the　chancellor　had　rendered　him；　was　unwilling　to　thrust　him　from　his　high　place。　　But　as　time　sped；　and　the　machinations　of　a　clique　of　courtiers　in　league　with　the　countess　were　added　to　her　influence；　the　chancellor's　power　wavered。　　And　finally；　when　he　was　suspected　of　stepping　between　his　majesty　and　his　unlawful　pleasuresconcerning　which　more　shall　be　said　anonhe　fell。
  At　the　head　and　front　of　the　body　which　plotted　against　Lord　Clarendon；　pandered　to　Lady　Castlemaine；　and；　for　its　own　purposespolitically　and　sociallysought　to　control　the　king；　was　his　grace　the　Duke　of　Buckingham。　　This　witty　courtier　and　his　friends；　when　assembled　round　the　pleasant　supper　table　spread　in　the　countess's　apartments；　and　honoured　almost　nightly　by　the　presence　of　the　king；　delighted　to　vent　the　force　of　their　humour　upon　the　chancellor；　and　criticize　his　influence　over　the　monarch　until　Charles　smarted　from　their　words。　　In　the　height　of　their　mirth；　if　his　majesty　declared　he　would　go　a　journey；　walk　in　a　certain　direction；　or　perform　some　trivial　action　next　day；　those　around　him　would　lay　a　wager　he　would　not　fulfil　his　intentions；　and　when　asked　why　they　had　arrived　at　such　conclusions；　they　would　reply；　because　the　chancellor　would　not　permit　him。　　On　this　another　would　remark　with　mock　gravity；　he　thought　there　were　no　grounds　for　such　an　imputation；　though；　indeed；　he　could　not　deny　it　was　universally　believed　abroad　his　majesty　was　implicitly　governed　by　Lord　Clarendon。　　The　king；　being　keenly　sensitive　to　remarks　doubting　his　authority；　and　most　desirous　of　appearing　his　own　master；　would　exclaim　on　such　occasions　that　the　chancellor　〃had　served　him　long；　and　understood　his　business；　in　which　he　trusted　him；　but　in　any　other　matter　than　his　business；　he　had　no　more　credit　with　him　than　any　other　man。〃　　And　presently　the　Duke　of　Buckinghamwho　possessed　talents　of　mimicry　to　a　surpassing　degreewould　arise；　and；　screwing　his　face　into　ridiculous　contortions；　and　shaking　his　wig　in　a　manner　that　burlesqued　wisdom　to　perfection；　deliver　some　ludicrous　speech　brimming　with　mirth　and　indecencies；　assuming　the　grave　air　and　stately　manner　of　the　chancellor　the　while。　　And　finally；　to　make　the　caricature　perfect；　Tom　Killigrew；　hanging　a　pair　of　bellows　before　him　by　way　of　purse；　and　preceded　by　a　friend　carrying　a　fireshovel　to　represent　a　mace；　would　walk　round　the　room　with　the　slow　determined　tread　peculiar　to　Lord　Clarendon。　　At　these　performances　the　king；　his　mistress；　and　his　courtiers　would　laugh　loud　and　long　in　chorus；　with　which　was　mingled　sounds　of　chinking　glasses　and　flowing　wine。　　＇〃Came　my　lord　chancellor　（the　Earl　of　Clarendon）　and　his　lady；　his　purse　and　mace　borne　before　him；　to　visit　me〃　Evelyn's　〃Diary。〃＇
  In　this　manner　was　the　old　man's　power　undermined；　but　a　circumstance　which　hastened　his　fall　occurred　in　the　early　part　of　1667。　　In　that　year　Lady　Castlemaine　had；　for　a　valuable　consideration；　disposed　of　a　place　at　court；　which　ensured　the　purchaser　a　goodly　salary。　　However；　before　the　bargain　could　finally　be　ratified；　it　was　necessary　the　appointment　should　pass　the　great　seal。　　This　the　chancellor　would　not　permit；　and　accompanied　his　refusal　by　remarking；　〃he　thought　this　woman　would　sell　every　thing　shortly。〃　　His　speech　being　repeated　to　her；　she；　in　great　rage；　sent　him　word　she　〃had　disposed　of　this　place；　and　had　no　doubt　in　a　little　time　to　dispose　of　his。〃　　And　so　great　was　the　malice　she　bore　him；　that　she　railed　against　him　openly　and　in　all　places；　nor　did　she　scruple　to　declare　in　the　queen's　chamber；　in　the　presence　of　much　company；　〃that　she　hoped　to　see　his　head　upon　a　stake；　to　keep　company　with　those　of　the　regicides　on　Westminster　Hall。〃
  And　some　political　movements　now　arising；　the　history　of　which　lies　not　within　the　province　of　this　work；　the　king　seized　upon　them　as　an　excuse　for　parting　with　his　chancellor。　　The　monarch　complained　that　my　Lord　Clarendon　〃was　so　imperious　that　he　would　endure　no　contradiction；　that　he　had　a　faction　in　the　House　of　Commons　that　opposed　everything　that　concerned　his　majesty's　service；　if　it　were　not　recommended　to　them　by　him；　and　that　he　had　given　him　very　ill　advice　concerning　the　parliament；　which　offended　him　most。〃
  Therefore　there　were　rumours　in　the　air　that　the　chancellor's　fall　was　imminent；　nor　were　the　efforts　of　his　son…in…law；　the　Duke　of　York；　able　to　protect　him；　for　the　friends　of　my　Lady　Castlemaine　openly　told　his　majesty　〃it　would　not　consist　with　his　majesty's　honour　to　be　hectored　out　of　his　determination　to　dismiss　the　chancellor　by　his　brother；　who　was　wrought　upon　by　his　wife's　crying。〃　　It　therefore　happened　on　the　26th　of　August；　1667；　as　early　as　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning；　Lord　Clarendon　waited　at　Whitehall　on　the　king；　who　presently；　accompanied　by　his　brother；　received　him　with　characteristic　graciousness。　Whereon　the　old　man；　acknowledging　the　monarch's　courtesy；　said　he　〃had　no　suit　to　make　to　him；　nor　the　least　thought　to　dispute　with　him；　or　to　divert　him　from　the　resolution　he　had　taken；　but　only　to　receive　his　determination　from　himself；　and　most　humbly　to　beseech　him　to　let　him　know　what　fault　he　had　committed；　that　had　drawn　this　severity　upon　him　from　his　majesty。〃
  In　answer　to　this　Charles　said　he　must　always　acknowledge　〃he　had　served　him　honestly　and　faithfully；　and　that　he　did　believe　never　king　had　a　better　servant；　that　he　had　taken　this　resolution　for　his　good　and　preservation；　as　well　as　for　his　own　convenience　and　security；　that　he　was　sorry　the　business　had　taken　so　much　air；　and　was　so　publicly　spoken　of；　that　he　knew　not　how　to　change　his　purpose。〃　　To　these　words　of　fair　seeming　the　troubled　chancellor　replied　by　doubting　if　the　sudden　dismissal　of　an　old　servant　who　had　served　the　crown　full　thirty　years；　without　any　suggestion　of　crime；　but　rather　with　a　declaration　of　innocence；　would　not　call　his　majesty's　justice　and　good　nature　into　question。　　He　added　that　men　would　not　know　how　to　serve　him；　when　they　should　see　it　was　in　the　power　of　three　or　four　pers