hat we were not able to look at it； our eyes at last being so much overcome with it。 Both the king and the Duke of York took notice of us as they saw us at the window。 The show being ended； Mr。 Young did give us a dinner； at which we were very merry and pleased above imagination at what we have seen。〃
The next day； being the feast of St。 George； patron of England； the king went in procession from Whitehall to Westminster Abbey； where he was solemnly crowned in the presence of a vast number of peers and bishops。 After which； surrounded by the same brilliant company； he passed from the Abbey to Westminster Hall； the way being covered with blue cloth； and lined with spectators to the number of ten thousand。 Here his majesty and the lords； spiritual and temporal； dined sumptuously； whilst many fine ceremonies were observed； music of all sorts was played； and a great crowd of pretty ladies looked down from the galleries。 And when the banquet was over； and a general pardon had been read by the lord chancellor； and the champion had drank out of the king's gold cup； Charles betook himself to Whitehall。 Then； after two days of fair weather； it suddenly 〃fell a…raining； and thundering and lightning；〃 says Pepys； 〃as I have not seen it do for some years； which people did take great notice of。〃
CHAPTER IV。
The King's character。His proverbial grace。He tells a story well。〃A warmth and sweetness of the blood。〃Beautiful Barbara Palmer。Her intrigue with my Lord Chesterfield。James； Duke of York。His early days。Escape from St。 James's。Fights in the service of France。Marriage with Anne Hyde。Sensation at Court。The Duke of Gloucester's death。The Princess of Orange。 Schemes against the Duke of York's peace。The 〃lewd informer。〃Anne Hyde is acknowledged Duchess of York。
Whilst the kingdom was absorbed by movements consequent on its change of government； the court was no less engrossed by incidents relative to the career it had begun。 In the annals of court life there are no pages more interesting than those dealing with Charles II； and his friends； in the history of kings there is no more remarkable figure than that of the merry monarch himself。
Returning to rule over a nation which； during his absence； had been distracted by civil strife； King Charles； young in years； brave in deeds； and surrounded by that halo of romance which misfortune lends its victims； entirely。 gained the hearts of his subjects。 Nature had endowed him with gifts adapted to display qualities that fascinated； and fitted to hide blemishes which repelled。 On the one hand his expressive features and shapely figure went far towards creating a charm which his personal grace and courtesy of manner completed； on the other； his delicate tact screened the heartlessness of his sensualism； whilst his surface sympathies hid the barrenness of his cynicism。
With the coolness and courage he had shown in danger； the shrewdness and wit he continually evinced； and the varied capacities he certainly possessed； Charles II。 might have made his reign illustrious； had not his love of ease and detestation of business rendered him indifferent to all things so long as he was free to follow his desires。 But these faults； which became grievous in the eyes of his subjects； commended him to the hearts of his courtiers； the common purpose of whose lives was pursuit of pleasure。 Never was sovereign more gracious to those who came in contact with him； or less ceremonious with his friends； whilst abroad he had lived with his little band of courtiers more as a companion than a king。 The bond of exile had drawn them close together； an equal fortune had gone far towards obliterating distinctions of royalty； and custom had so fitted the monarch and his friends to familiarity； that on his return to England neither he nor they laid aside a mutual freedom of treatment which by degrees extended itself throughout the court。 For all that； 〃he was master；〃 as Welwood says； 〃of something in his person and aspect that commanded both love and admiration at once。〃
Among his many gifts was that of telling a story wella rare one 'tis true in all ages。 Never was he better pleased than when； surrounded by a group of gossips； he narrated some anecdote of which he was the hero； and； though his tales were more than twice told； they were far from tedious； inasmuch as； being set forth with brighter flashes of wit and keener touches of irony； they were ever pleasant to hear。 His conversation was of a like complexion to his tales； pointed； shrewd； and humorous； frequentlyas became the manner of the timesstraying far afield of propriety； and taking liberties of expression of which nice judgments could not approve。 But indeed his majesty's speech was not more free than his conduct was licentious。 He could not think； he gravely told Bishop Burnet； 〃God would make a man miserable for taking a little pleasure out of the way。〃 Accordingly he followed the free bent of his desires； and his whole life was soon devoted to voluptuousness； a vice which an ingenious courtier obligingly describes as a 〃warmth and sweetness of the blood that would not be confined in the communicating itselfan overflowing of good nature； of which he had such a stream that it would not be restrained within the banks of a crabbed and unsociable virtue。〃
The ease and freedom of his continental life had no doubt fostered this lamentable depravity； for his misfortunes as an exiled king by no means prevented him following his inclinations as an ardent lover。 Accordingly； his intrigues at that time were numerous； as may be judged from the fact of Lady Byron being described as 〃his seventeenth mistress abroad。〃 The offspring of one of his continental mistresses was destined to plunge the English nation into civil warfare； and to suffer a traitor's death on Tower Hill in the succeeding reign。
〃The profligacy which Charles practised abroad not being discontinued at home； he resumed in England an intrigue commenced at Brussels a short time before the restoration。 The object of this amour was the beautiful Barbara Palmer； afterwards； by reason of her lack of virtue； raised to the peerage under the titles of Countess of Castlemaine； and Duchess of Cleveland。 This lady； who became a most prominent figure in the court of the merry monarch； was daughter of William； second Viscount Grandison； a brave gentleman and a loyal； who had early in life fallen in the civil war whilst fighting for his king。 He is described as having； among other gifts； 〃a faultless person；〃 a boon； which descended to his only child； the bewitching Barbara。 In the earliest dawn of her womanhood she encountered her first lover in the person of Philip Stanhope； second Earl of Chesterfield。 My lord was at this time a youthful widower； and is described as having 〃a very agreeable face； a fine head of hair； an indifferent shape； and a pleasant wit。 He was； moreover； an elegant beau and a dissolute mantestimony of which latter fact may be gathered from a letter written to him in 1658； by his sister…in…law； Lady Essex； to prevent the 〃ruin of his soule。〃 Writes her ladyship： 〃You treate all the mad drinking lords； you sweare； you game； and commit all the extravagances that are insident to untamed youths； to such a degree that you make yourselfe the talke of all places； and the wonder of those who thought otherwise of you； and of all sober people。〃
When Barbara was sixteen； my lord； then in his twenty…third year； inherited the title and estates of his grandfather： he therefore became master of his own fortune and could bestow his hand where he pleased。 That he was in love with Barbara is； indeed； most true； but that his passion was dishonourable is likewise certain： for though he wrote her letters full of tenderness； and kept assignations with her at Butler's shop； on Ludgate Hill； he was the while negotiating a marriage with one Mrs。 Fairfax； to whom he was not； however； united。 His intrigue with Barbara continued for upwards of three years； when it was temporarily suspended by her marriage to one Roger Palmer； a student of the Inner Temple； the son of a Middlesex knight； and； moreover； a man of the most obliging temper； as will hereafter be seen。 Barbara's loyalty to her husband was but of short duration。 Before she had been nine months a wife； we find her writing to her old lover she is 〃ready and willing to goe all over the world〃 with hima sacrifice he declined to accept！ though eager to take advantage of the affection which prompted it。 A little while later he was obliged to quit England； for it happened in the first month of the year 1660 he quarrelled with and killed one Francis Woolley； a student at law； to avoid the consequences of which act he speedily fled the country。
Arriving at Calais； he wrote to King Charles； who was then preparing to return； throwing himself on his mercy； and beseeching his pardon； which the king granting； Lord Chesterfield sought his majesty at Brussels。 Soon afterwards Barbara Palmer and her complaisant husband； a right loyal man； joined the king's court abroad； when the intrigue begun which was continued on the night of the monarch's arrival in London。 True the loyal PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCER stated 〃his majesty was diverted