what was generally understood to be the just and lawful perquisites of his office; and that all the courtesies or favours obtained by him from the King for other persons had never been worth to him five pounds. "I am at present indebted about three or four and twenty thousand pounds, for which I pay interest, and for which I have assigned lands and leases to be sold, though at present nobody will buy or sell with me; and, I am so far from having money, that, from the time the seat was taken from me, I have lived upon the coining some small parcels of plate, which have sustained me and my family, all my rents being withheld from me. My estate, my debts being paid, will not yield me two thousand pounds per annum, for the support of myself and providing for two young children, who have nothing. All I have is not worth what the King, in his bounty, hath bestowed upon me; his Majesty having, within a few months after his coming into England, bestowed upon me twenty thousand pounds in ready money without any motion of mine, and shortly after another sum, amounting to six thousand pounds, or thereabouts, out of Ireland. His Majesty likewise assigned me, after the first year of his return, an annual supply towards my support, which did but defray my expenses, the certain profits of my office not amounting to above £2,000 a-year or thereabouts, and the perquisites not very considerable, and very uncertain."

In this document, the Chancellor also entered into at vindication of the general conduct of affairs during his administration. The Lords communicated it to the

Commons, intimating that the withdrawal of the writer had put an end to the contest between the two Houses. The paper was condemned by the Commons to be burned by the hand of the hangman, as containing much untruth, scandal, and sedition; and the Lords, weary of the struggle, concurred in this sentence. Curiosity was excited in regard to its contents; copies were circulated; many regarded the writer with much more clemency, and thought that he had done well to get out of the reach of such angry judges.

The Chancellor, though now beyond the reach of his enemies, was not beyond the reach of their malice. They persuaded the French ambassador that there could be no cordial friendship between their master and the King of England so long as Clarendon remained in France; and, the ambassador having made this representation to his Court, an order was sent to the Earl, who was on his way to Rouen, to leave the French dominions with all possible expedition. The Parliament had, meanwhile, finding that the King would not consent to his attainder, prepared a Bill of banishment, which passed the two Houses and received the royal sanction. The act deprived the King of the power to pardon without the consent of Parliament; and was to be absolute, unless the Chancellor should surrender himself by a certain day to one of the secretaries of state, or the lieutenant of the Tower.

On receiving intelligence of these proceedings, and a letter from the Duke of York, urging him to return and undergo the trial, which would not fail to prove his

innocence, he prepared to follow this advice, and returned to Calais, where illness prevented the prosecution of his intention, and confined him to his bed for six weeks.

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By this time, the French Court discovered that the close alliance which it meditated with England was prevented by the Triple League into which Charles had entered. Its conduct towards the Chancellor was, in consequence, changed, and he received permission to reside in any part of the kingdom that he pleased. He then applied for a passport to Avignon, intending to use the waters of Bourbon on his way. Travelling back to Rouen, he prosecuted his journey, and, on reaching Evreux, was assailed by a new enemy. company of English sailors, who had entered into the French service as artillerymen, being quartered there, and hearing of the arrival of the Chancellor, beset the inn where he had taken up his quarters for the night, insisting on his paying them an arrear of some months due to them in England. They broke open the door of the inn; but that of the room where the Chancellor was, being barricaded, they fired their pistols into the window, wounded some of the servants, and M. de la Fonde, the agent of the French government, who was escorting the Chancellor, and entered the apartment. They swore that they would make him pay their arrears, rifled his pockets and his trunks, and one of them struck him such a blow with the flat of a broad sword, as he sat upon the bed, that he fell backwards and lay for some time completely stunned. When he came to

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himself, they dragged him into the court, and were on the point of despatching him with their swords, when the arrival of some of the magistrates with a guard, rescued him from the clutches of the blood-thirsty rioters. For this outrage, three of their number were broken upon the wheel.

Clarendon survived his banishment only six years, which he devoted to the writing of his History of the Civil Wars, a performance that reflects honour upon his memory.

CHAPTER XI.

Amours of the King.-Lady Castlemaine created Duchess of Cleveland.-Fatal duel.-Insurrection of the Apprentices. -Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle.-A Magistrate in disgrace.Question of a divorce between the King and Queen.-The Cabal.-Demise of the Queen-mother.-Charles visited by his sister, the Duchess of Orleans.-Her sudden death.His Secret Treaty with Louis XIV.-Mademoiselle De Querouaille becomes a mistress of the King.-Royal Palace at Newmarket.-Repairs to Windsor Castle.-Death of Albemarle.-Gibbon, a young artist, introduced to his Majesty.-Atrocities of the Duke of Monmouth.-Savage assault on Sir John Coventry.-Blood's crimes.-Death of the Duchess of York.-Proposed alliance for the Duke.The King and Queen go on a tour.-Newmarket races.Sea-fights with the Dutch.-The Duke married to the Princess of Este.-Peace with Holland.-The Test Bill.The Princess Mary united to the Prince of Orange.Anecdotes of the King.

T the beginning of the year 1668, a change came over the King in regard to his conduct towards his ill-treated and neglected wife, who

had for some time past borne all the affronts put upon