on　Mademoiselle　Querouaille　was　ready　for　her　journey　to　England。　　A　yacht　was　therefore　sent　to　Dieppe　to　convey　her；　and　presently　she　was　received　at　Whitehall　by　the　lord　treasurer；　and　her　arrival　celebrated　in　verse　by　Dryden。　Moreover；　that　she　might　have　apartments　in　the　palace；　the　king　at　once　appointed　her　a　maid　of　honour　to　her　majesty；　this　being　the　first　of　a　series　of　favours　she　was　subsequently　to　receive。　Evelyn；　writing　in　the　following　October；　says　it　was　universally　reported　a　ceremonious　espousal；　devoid　of　the　religious　rite；　had　taken　place　between　his　majesty　and　Mademoiselle　Querouaille　at　Lord　Arlington's　house　at　Euston。　　〃I　acknowledge；〃　says　this　trustworthy　chronicler　〃she　was　for　the　most　part　in　her　undresse　all　day；　and　that　there　was　fondnesse　and　toying　with　that　young　wanton；　nay；　'twas　said　I　was　at　the　former　ceremony；　but　'tis　utterly　false；　I　neither　saw　nor　heard　of　any　such　thing　whilst　I　was　there；　tho'　I　had　ben　in　her　chamber；　and　all　over　that　apartment　late　enough；　and　was　myself　observing　all　passages　with　much　curiosity。〃
  She　now　became　a　central　figure　in　the　brilliant　court　of　the　merry　monarch；　being　loved　by　the　king；　flattered　by　the　wits；　and　tolerated　by　the　queen；　to　whomunlike　the　Duchess　of　Clevelandshe　generally　paid　the　greatest　respect。　　Her　card　tables　were　thronged　by　courtiers　eager　to　squander　large　sums　for　the　honour　of　playing　with　the　reigning　sultana；　her　suppers　were　attended　by　wits　and　gallants　as　merry　and　amorous　as　those　who　had　once　crowded　round　my　Lady　Castlemaine　in　the　zenith　of　her　power。　　No　expense　was　too　great　for　his　majesty　to　lavish　upon　her；　no　honour　too　high　with　which　to　reward　her　affection。　The　authority　just　mentioned　says　her　apartments　at　Whitehall　were　luxuriously　furnished　〃with　ten　times　the　richnesse　and　glory　beyond　the　Queene's；　such　massy　pieces　of　plate；　whole　tables　and　stands　of　incredible　value。〃　　After　a　residence　of　little　more　than　three　years　at　court　she　was　raised　by　King　Charles　to　the　peerage　as　Baroness　of　Petersfield；　Countess　of　Farnham；　and　Duchess　of　Portsmouth；　whilst　the　French　king；　as　a　mark　of　appreciation　for　the　services　she　rendered　France；　conferred　upon　her　the　Duchy　of　Aubigny；　in　the　province　of　Berri　in　France；　to　which　he　added　the　title　and　dignity　of　Duchess　and　Peeress　of　France；　with　the　revenues　of　the　territory　of　Aubigny。　And　two　years　later　King　Charles；　prodigal　of　the　honours　he　conferred　upon　her；　ennobled　the　son　she　had　borne　him　in　1672。　The　titles　of　the　Duke　of　Richmond　and　Lennox　having　lately　reverted　to　the　crown　by　the　death　of　Frances　Stuart's　husband；　who　was　last　of　his　line；　the　bastard　son　of　the　French　mistress　was　created　Duke　of　Richmond　and　Earl　of　March　in　England；　and　Duke　of　Lennox　and　Earl　of　Darnley　in　Scotland。　　To　these　proud　titles　the　present　head　of　the　noble　house　of　Richmond　and　Lennoxby　virtue　of　the　grant　made　by　Louis　XIV。　　to　his　ancestress　likewise　adds　that　of　Duc　d'Aubigny　in　the　peerage　of　France。
  But　though　honoured　by　the　king；　and　flattered　by　the　court；　the　Duchess　of　Portsmouth　was　far　from　enjoying　uninterrupted　happiness；　inasmuch　as　her　peace　was　frequently　disturbed　by　jealousy。　　The　principal　cause　of　her　uneasiness　during　the　first　five　years　of　her　reign　was　the　king's　continued　infatuation　for　Nell　Gwynn；　now；　by　reason　of　the　elevated　position　she　enjoyed；　styled　Madam　Ellen。　　This　〃impudent　comedian；〃　as　Evelyn　calls　her；　was　treated　by　his　majesty　with；　extreme　indulgence　and　royal　liberality。　　In　proof　of　the　latter　statement；　it　may　be　mentioned　that　in　less　than　four　years　from　the　date　of　her　first　becoming　his　mistress；　he　had　wantonly　lavished　sixty　thousand　pounds　upon　her；　as　Burnet　affirms。　　Moreover；　he　had　purchased　as　a　town　mansion　for　her　〃the　first　good　house　on　the　left…hand　side　of　St。　James's　Square；　entering　Pall　Mall；〃　now　the　site　of　the　Army　and　Navy　Club；　had　given　her　likewise　a　residence　situated　close　by　the　Castle　at　Windsor；　and　a　summer　villa　located　in　what　was　then　the　charming　village　of　Chelsea。　　To　such　substantial　gifts　as　these　he　added　the　honour　of　an　appointment　at　court：　　when　the　merry　player　was　made　one　of　the　ladies　of　the　privy　chamber　to　the　queen。　　Samuel　Pegg　states　this　fact；　not　generally　known；　and　assures　us　he　discovered　it　〃from　the　book　in　the　lord　chamberlain's　office。〃
  From　her　position　as　the　king's　mistress；　Madam　Ellen　moved　on　terms　of　perfect　equality　with　the　Duchess　of　Portsmouth's　friendssupping　with　my　Lady　Orrery；　visiting　my　Lord　Cavendish；　and　establishing　a　friendship　with　the　gay　Duchess　of　Norfolk。　This　was　a　source　of　deep　vexation　to　the　haughty　Frenchwoman；　but　Nell　Gwynn's　familiarity　with　the　king　was　a　cause　of　even　greater　mortification。　　Sir　George　Etherege　records　in　verse　when　the　monarch　was　〃dumpish〃　Nell　would　〃chuck　the　royal　chin；〃　and　it　is　stated　that；　mindful　of　her　former　conquests　over　Charles　Hart　and　Charles　Lord　Buckley；　it　was　her　habit　to　playfully　style　his　majesty　〃Charles　the　Third。〃　　Her　wilfulness；　wit；　and　beauty　enabled　her　to　maintain　such　a　strong　hold　upon　the　king's　heart；　that　he　shared　his　time　equally　between　her　and　the　Duchess　of　Portsmouth。　　Indignant　that　a　woman　from　the　playhouse　should　receive　such　evidences　of　the　royal　affection；　her　grace　lost　no　opportunity　of　insulting　Nell；　who　responded　by　mimicry　and　grimaces；　which　threw　those　who　witnessed　the　comedy　into　fits　of　laughter；　and　covered　the　wrathful　duchess　with　confusion。
  But　though　the　light…hearted　actress　frequently　treated　disdain　with　ridicule；　she　could　occasionally　analyze　the　respective　positions　held　by　herself　and　the　duchess　with　seriousness；　Madame　de　Sevigne　tells　us；　Nell　would　reason　in　this　manner：　〃This　duchess　pretends　to　be　a　person　of　quality：　　she　affirms　she　is　related　to　the　best　families　in　France；　and　when　any　person　of　distinction　dies　she　puts　herself　in　mourning。　　If　she　be　a　lady　of　such　quality；　why　does　she　demean　herself　to　be　a　courtesan？　　She　ought　to　die　with　shame。　　As　for　me；　it　is　my　profession。　　I　do　not　pretend　to　anything　better。　　The　king　entertains　me；　and　I　am　constant　to　him　at　present。　　He　has　a　son　by　me；　I　contend　that　he　ought　to　acknowledge　himand　I　am　well　assured　that　he　will；　for　he　loves　me　as　well　as　the　duchess。〃
  To　have　her　son　ennobled；　and　by　this　means　raise　him　to　an　equality　with　the　offspring　of　her　grace；　became　the　desire　of　Nell　Gwynn's　life。　　To　her　request　that　this　favour　might　be　granted；　the　king　had　promised　compliance　from　time　to　time；　but　had　as　frequently　postponed　the　fulfilment　of　his　word。　　At　last；　weary　of　beseeching　him；　she　devised　a　speech　which　she　trusted　might　have　the　desired　effect。　　Accordingly；　when　the　monarch　came　to　see　her　one　day；　he　found　her　in　a　pensive　mood；　playing　with　her　pretty　boy；　and　the　lad；　being　presently　set　upon　his　feet；　he　promptly　tottered　down　the　room；　whereon　she　cried　out　to　him；　〃Come　here；　you　little　bastard！〃　　Hearing　this　word　of　evil　import　applied　to　his　son；　the　monarch　begged　she　would　not　use　the　expression；　〃I　am　sorry；〃　said　she　regretfully；　〃but；　alas；　I　have　no　other　name　to　give　him！　　〃His　majesty　took　the　hint；　and　soon　after　bestowed　on　him　that　of　Charles　Beauclerk；　and　created　him　Baron　of　Heddington；　in　Oxon；　and　Earl　of　Burford　in　the　same　county；　and　finally；　when　he　had　reached　the　age　of　ten　years；　raised　him　to　the　dignity　of　Duke　of　St。　Albans。
  After　a　reign　of　five　years　in　the　court　of　the　merry　monarch；　her　Grace　of　Portsmouth　was　destined　to　encounter　a　far　more　formidable　rival　than　Nell　Gwynn；　in　the　person　of　the　Duchess　of　Mazarine。　　This　lady；　on　her　arrival　in　England　in　1675；　possessed　most　of　the　charms　which　had　rendered　her　notable　in　youth。　　To　the　attraction　they　lent　was　added　an　interest　arising　from　her　personal　history；　in　which　King　Charles　had　once　figured；　and　to　which　fate　had　subsequently　added　many　pages　of　romance。
  Hortensia　Mancini；　afterwards　Duchess　of　Mazarine；　was　descendant　of　a　noble　Roman　family；　and　niece　of　the　great　Julius　Mazarine；　cardinal　of　the　church；　and　prime　minister　of　France。　　Her　parents　dying　whilst　she；　her　sister　and　brother　were　young；　they　had　been　reared　under　the　care　of　his　eminence。　　According　to　the　memoirs　of　the　duchess；　the　cardinal's　peace　must　have　frequently　been　put　to　flight　by　his　charges；　whose　conduct；　he　declared；　exhibited　neither　piety　nor　honour。　　Mindful　of　this；　he　placed　his　nieces　under　the　immediate　supervision　of　Madame　de　Venelle；　who　was　directed　to　have　the　closest　guard　over　them。　　A　story　related　by　the　duchess　shows　in　what　manner　this　lady's　duty　was　carried　out；　and　what　unexpected　results　attended　it　on　one　occasion。
  When　the　court　visited　Lyons；　in　the　year　1658；　the　cardinal's　nieces　and　their　governess　lodged　in　a　commodious　mansion　in　one　of　the　public　squares。　　〃Our　chamber　windows；　which　opened　towards　the　market…place；〃　writes　Hortensia；　〃were　low　enough　for　one　to　get　in　with　ease。　　Madame　de　Venelle　was　so　used　to　her　trade　of　watching　us；　that　she　rose　even　in　her　sleep　to　see　what　we　were　doing。　　One　night；　as　my　sister　lay　asleep　with　her　mouth　open；　Madame　de　Venelle；　after　her　accustomed　manner；