marriage and festivities.—Arrival at Hampton Court Palace.—Prospects
of a happy union.—Lady Castlemaine gives birth to a second child.—The
king's infatuation.—Mistress and wife.—The queen's misery.—The king's
cruelty.—Lord Clarendon's messages.—His majesty resolves to break the
queen's spirit.—End of the domestic quarrel.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
Their majesties arrive at Whitehall.—My Lady Castlemaine a
spectator.—Young Mr. Crofts.—New arrivals at court.—The Hamilton
family.—The Chevalier de Grammont.—Mrs. Middleton and Miss Kirke.—At
the queen's ball.—La belle Hamilton.—The queen mother at Somerset
House.—The Duke of Monmouth's marriage.—Fair Frances Stuart.—Those
who court her favour.—The king's passion.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Duke of York's intrigues.—My Lady Chesterfield and his royal
highness.—The story of Lady Southesk's love—Lord Arran plays the
guitar.—Lord Chesterfield is jealous.—The countess is taken from
court.—Mistress Margaret Brooks and the king.—Lady Denham and the
duke.—Sir John goes mad.—My lady is poisoned.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
Court life under the merry monarch.—Riding in Hyde Park.—Sailing on
the Thames.—Ball at Whitehall.—Petit soupers.—What happened at
Lady Gerrard's.—Lady Castlemaine quarrels with the king.—Flight to
Richmond.—The queen falls ill.—The king's grief and remorse.—Her
majesty speaks.—Her secret sorrow finds voice in delirium.—Frances
Stuart has hopes.—The queen recovers.
CHAPTER X.
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.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
Terror falls upon the people.—Rumours of a plague.—A sign in the
heavens.—Flight from the capital.—Preparations against the dreaded
enemy.—Dr. Boghurst's testimony.—God's terrible voice in the
city.—Rules made by the lord mayor.—Massacre of animals.—O, dire
death!—Spread of the distemper.—Horrible sights.—State of the
deserted capital.—"Bring out your dead."—Ashes to ashes.—Fires are
lighted.—Relief of the poor.—The mortality bills.
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XII
A cry of fire by night.—Fright and confusion.—The lord mayor is
unmanned.—Spread of the flames.—Condition of the streets.—Distressful
scenes.—Destruction of the Royal Exchange.—Efforts of the king and the
Duke of York.—Strange rumours and alarms, St. Paul's is doomed.—The
flames checked.—A ruined city as seen by day and night.—Wretched state
of the people.—Investigation into the origin of the fire.—A new city
arises.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
The court repairs to Oxford—Lady Castlemaine's son.—Their majesties
return to Whitehall.—The king quarrels with his mistress.—Miss Stuart
contemplates marriage.—Lady Castlemaine attempts revenge.—Charles
makes an unpleasant discovery.—The maid of honour elopes.—His majesty
rows down the Thames.—Lady Castlemaine's intrigues.—Fresh quarrels at
court.—The king on his knees.
CHAPTER XIV.
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 king's
mistress.—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.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
Louise de Querouaille.—The Triple Alliance.—Louise is created Duchess
of Portsmouth—Her grace and the impudent comedian.—Madam Ellen moves
in society. The young Duke of St. Albans.—Strange story of the
Duchess of Mazarine.—Entertaining the wits at Chelsea.—Luxurious
suppers.—profligacy and wit.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
A storm threatens the kingdom—The Duke of York is touched in his
conscience.—His interview with Father Simons.—The king declares his
mind.—The Duchess of York becomes a catholic.—The circumstances of her
death.—The Test Act introduced.—Agitation of the nation.—The Duke
of York marries again.—Lord Shaftesbury's schemes.—The Duke of
Monmouth.—William of Orange and the Princess Mary.—Their marriage and
departure from England.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
The threatened storm bursts.—History of Titus Oates and Dr. Tonge.—A
dark scheme concocted.—The king is warned of danger.—The narrative of
a horrid plot laid before the treasurer.—Forged letters.—Titus Oates
before the council.—His blunders.—A mysterious murder.—Terror of the