登陆注册
4132100000028

第28章 CHAPTER V.(2)

Subsequently refusing liberal offers made him by Cromwell, on condition of living in peaceful retirement, he, after the execution of Charles I., betook himself to France, and shared exile with the young king until the restoration. In consequence of his proven fealty, honours were then deservingly showered upon him: he was made grand steward of the household, first lord of the bedchamber, and subsequently lord lieutenant of Ireland. The duchess, who had participated in her husband's misfortunes with a courage equal to his own, was a high-minded and most virtuous lady, who had brought up her family with great care. Scarcely less distinguished in mien and manner than the duke, were his two sons, Thomas, Earl of Ossory, and Lord Richard Butler, afterwards Earl of Arran. My lord of Ossory was no less remarkable for his beauty than famous for his accomplishments: he rode and played tennis to perfection, performed upon the lute to entrancement, and danced to the admiration of the court; he was moreover a good historian, and well versed in chronicles of romance. No less was the Earl of Arran proficient in qualifications befitting his birth, and gifted with attributes aiding his gallantry.

A third member of this noble family played a more remarkable part in the history of the court during her brief career than either of her brothers. This was the Lady Elizabeth Butler, eldest daughter of the duke, who, unfortunately for her own happiness, married my Lord Chesterfield at the Hague, when, a few months before the restoration, that nobleman fled to the continent to escape the consequences of Francis Woolley's murder. In Lely's picture of the young Countess of Chesterfield, her piquancy attracts at a glance, whilst her beauty charms on examination.

Her cousin, Anthony Hamilton, describes her as having large blue eyes, very tempting and alluring, a complexion extremely fair, and a heart "ever open to tender sentiments," by reason of which her troubles arose, as shall be set down in proper sequence.

Henry Jermyn, Earl of St. Albans, and his nephew, "the little Jermyn," were also notable as figuring in court intrigues. The earl was member of the privy council to his majesty, and moreover held a still closer connection to the queen mother; for, according to Sir John Reresby, Madame Buviere, and others, her majesty had privately married his lordship abroad--an act of condescension he repaid with inhumanity. Madame Buviere says he never gave the queen a good word; and when she spoke to him he used to say, "Que me veut cette femme?" The same authority adds, he treated her majesty in an extremely ill manner, "so that whilst she had not a faggot to warm herself, he had in his apartments a good fire and a sumptuous table." [This testimony concerning the queen's poverty is borne out by Cardinal de Retz.

In his interesting Memoirs he tells of a visit he paid the queen mother, then an exile in Paris. He found her with her youngest daughter, Henrietta, in the chamber of the latter. "At my coming in," says the Cardinal, "she (the queen) said, 'You see, I am come to keep Henrietta company; the poor child could not rise to-day for want of a fire.' The truth is, that the Cardinal (Mazarin)for six months together had not ordered her any money towards her pension; that no tradespeople would trust her for anything and there was not at her lodgings a single billet. You will do me the justice to think that the princess of England did not keep her bed the next day for want of a faggot. . . Posterity will hardly believe that a princess of England, grand-daughter to Henry the Great, hath wanted a faggot in the month of January, in the Louvre, and in the eyes of the French court."] Pepys records that the marriage of her majesty to the earl was commonly talked of at the restoration; and he likewise mentions it was rumoured "that they had a daughter between them in France. How true," says this gossip, "God knows."The earl's nephew, Henry Jermyn, is described as having a big head and little legs, an affected carriage, and a wit consisting "in expressions learned by rote, which he occasionally employed either in raillery or love." For all that, he being a man of amorous disposition, the number of his intrigues was no less remarkable than the rank of those who shared them. Most notable amongst his conquests was the king's eldest sister, widow of the Prince of Orange--a lady possessing in no small degree natural affections for which her illustrious family were notorious.

During the exile of Charles II., Henry Jermyn had made a considerable figure at her court in Holland by reason of the splendour of his equipage, entirely supported by his uncle's wealth; he had likewise made a forcible impression on her heart by virtue of the ardour of his addresses, wholly sustained by his own effrontery. The effect of his presence on the princess soon became visible to the court. Rumour whispered that as Lord St.

Albans had already made an alliance with royalty, his nephew had likewise followed his example; but scandal declared that young Jermyn and the princess had omitted the ceremony which should have sanctioned their happiness. The reputation of such an amour gained him the immediate attention of many women, whose interest in his character increased with the knowledge of his abilities, and helped to associate him in their memories with tenderest emotions.

同类推荐
  • DRAMATIC LYRICS

    DRAMATIC LYRICS

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太微帝君二十四神回元经

    太微帝君二十四神回元经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 俞楼诗记

    俞楼诗记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大慧普觉禅师语录

    大慧普觉禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 修行念诵仪轨次第法

    修行念诵仪轨次第法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 德川家康(新版)1:乱世孤主

    德川家康(新版)1:乱世孤主

    日本版的《三国演义》,史书、权书、商书“三书合一”,政企商业领袖必读图书!一部日本首相要求内阁成员必须熟读的书,一部经营之神松下幸之助要求松下干部必须研读的书,一部美国驻日大使认为,要了解日本、超越日本,必先阅读的书,一部韩国媒体评为“影响韩国CEO最有价值古典图书。”美国前驻日大使赖世和说:“每一个日本人都是一个德川家康,要了解日本、超越日本,必须先了解德川家康。”德川家康究竟是何许人?德川家康结束了日本百余年的战乱,开创三百年太平盛世,建立了完整意义上的日本国。《德川家康》将日本战国中后期织田信长、武田信玄、丰臣秀吉、德川家康等群雄并起的历史苍劲地铺展开来。
  • 锦绣芳华之农门秀色

    锦绣芳华之农门秀色

    什么是成功的穿越女?一,斗得过极品;二,耍得了阴谋;三,能赚钱能镇宅。四,能…最最最重要的是,嫁人得自己做得了主。三餐不济?不要!一穷二白?不怕!穿越女的口号就是,脱贫再治富,富了奔小康,做地主做土豪不是梦想!罗青果穿越了,光荣的穿在三代贫农之家。爹懦弱,娘老实,奶奶泼辣爷爷偏心,叔伯唯利是图,姑姑见钱眼开。周围还有一堆各有打算的远亲近邻。为着她的土豪梦想,罗青果只能挽了袖子拿起笔,哪里出事戳哪里。购田买地建华宅,农门里飞出了金凤凰。富二代、权二代你追我赶堵上门。富二代说:“果儿,我愿以珍珠十斛下聘,迎你进门。”罗青果:“滚,姐不是头牌。”权二代:“果儿,只要你肯嫁我,我一定让我爹爹给你请个诰命夫人。”罗青果:“滚粗,是你爹娶老婆,还是你娶。”富二代权二代怒了。“罗青果你到底要嫁个怎样的!”“不难,只需貌比潘安,才比子健,且终身无通房不纳妾,便成!”话声一落,耳边响起腼腆之音。“那个…果儿,你看区区在下我,如何?”男子眉眼精致如山峦迤逦,眸若幽潭,突然展颜一笑,笑容如宝石般璀璨夺目。
  • 杀手异世:腹黑女傲逆天下

    杀手异世:腹黑女傲逆天下

    她,夜紫辰,21世纪古武世家掌权大小姐,她,亦是杀手排行榜上得第一人“魅”,因未婚夫背叛而亡她,夜紫辰,夜家直系三小姐,没有半分灵力,夜家的耻辱,她懦弱,她无助,她善良……却被姐姐残忍害死当她变成了她,不再无助,不再懦弱,她嫉恶如仇,她心很手辣她护短,她冷清,她腹黑,时常都是一副笑脸,可谁知道在那张笑脸背后是背叛的伤……她成为人们眼中的“花花小姐”可为什么这样的“花花小姐”成了“香饽饽”呢?她偶然得到神秘戒指,逆天修炼功法,炼丹药,契魔兽,炼神器……身怀逆天宝贝的她又会在玄灵大陆上掀起怎样的惊天骇浪?她笑得无害单纯,可在同时弹指间取人性命……她带着满脸的笑,说“我很善良的,我蚂蚁都舍不得杀”,可转身却一招毙命,她说“我真的从来都不杀蚂蚁,因为我只杀人”她男装行走大陆,结交无数美男,使无数美男为之倾心,相伴左右。可有了前车之鉴,谁能打开她那冰封的心……
  • 控卡师之卡神传说

    控卡师之卡神传说

    一位小贵族突然得到了一张绝世卡牌,他会怎么办?当然是束之高阁,什么控卡高手,伦家才不稀罕!吃吃喝喝,逗弄逗弄小侍女这才是伦家向往的生活嘛!
  • 可爱公主的爱之恋

    可爱公主的爱之恋

    知晓自己的真实身份,在寻找过程中遇到的挫折,是谁鼓励她,支持她?
  • 将军不懂爱

    将军不懂爱

    单纯可爱的她,一次次撞上南墙,头肿脚软,却依然固守着心中的梦想;天赋异禀的她,能力超群,声名赫赫,被众多权贵追逐。她们各自不安好。一场看似生硬却本注定的缘分,让她和她,成为另一个她和她。让她和他,开启一段亘古奇缘。跨越千年,从未懂得的真谛,在遇到你的那一刻,才了解:爱是当它到来的时候,他才知道,之所以会活得这么久,只是为了,终有一天,和她相遇。
  • 历史不忍细看:超值白金版

    历史不忍细看:超值白金版

    人类仅仅知道一门唯一的科学,即历史科学。当我们重新斟酌历史深处隐藏的一切时,会发现,它是在一个个怪圈中循环演进,无论是一个时代,还是一段争逐史,又或是一处半壁残垣、古墓深山,都浸染了既显多情又显残忍的史家定律。然而,正是让人惊叹的历史内幕和演进规则,让我们有了在史海中畅游和挖掘的欲望,体验破解真相的快感,感受灵魂深处的酣畅。《历史不忍细看大全集(超值白金版2)》涉猎范围广泛,内容深浅合宜,情节充满轶趣,语言生动活泼,可以帮助读者掌握研究历史和探求真相的方法,从中获得探索发现的规律,引发深层次的解读思考,扩大视野,重塑历史观念。
  • 广陵妖乱志

    广陵妖乱志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • B.A.D.

    B.A.D.

    明弓,一个听着崔健长大的人,一个词语敏感症患者,一个美国生物分子实验室的“海龟”,一个专栏写作者,一个读书爱好者,一条上班虫,当时的职场新人、未来的企业高管,因这一场危机公关,开始了她的职场浮沉。明弓负责疼痛药的市场营销,绰号“大疼”。她和同事Victoria(管男人那活儿的硬度,绰号“大软”)以及虞盾(管精神分裂,绰号“大疯”)待在一个部门。白天,彼此之间,是格子间里共同学习“高效能人士的七个习惯”的同事,熟谙商业文明的生存原则,也是明争暗斗的办公室政治剧的演员;而各自奔向的夜晚,却展开了无限维度和深度的可能,呈现出更为繁复与不可测的人生。
  • 学渣逆袭联盟

    学渣逆袭联盟

    高考改革突然而至,清河一中的学生们面临文科分科的选择,王不见王的年段第一与年段第二成为了同桌,本以为竞争之下能够共同进步,却未料竟是成绩双双下跌。于是乎,家长、老师、乃至于学校的视线,一时间都聚集到了这对学霸同桌的身上。