Berkley；　who　began　to　repent　of　the　calumnies　he　had　spoken。　　Accordingly；　the　〃lewd　informer〃　went　to　the　duke；　and　sought　to　repair　the　evil　he　had　wrought。　　Believing；　he　said；　such　a　marriage　would　be　the　absolute　ruin　of　his　royal　highness；　he　had　made　the　accusation　which　he　now　confessed　to　be　false；　and　without　the　least　ground；　for　he　was　very　confident　of　the　lady's　honour　and　virtue。　　He　then　begged　pardon　on　his　knees　for　a　fault　committed　out　of　pure　devotion；　and　trusted　the　duke　would　〃not　suffer　him　to　be　ruined　by　the　power　of　those　whom　he　had　so　unworthily　provoked；　and　of　which　he　had　so　much　shame　that　he　had　not　confidence　to　look　upon　them。〃
  James　was　so　much　relieved　by　what　he　heard　that　he　not　only　forgave　Sir　Charles；　but　embraced　him；　and　promised　him　protection。　　Nor　did　his　royal　highness　longer　withhold　the　reparation　due　to　his　wife；　who；　with　the　approval　of　the　king　and　the　reluctant　consent　of　the　queen；　was　received　at　court　as　Duchess　of　York。　　Such　was　the　romance　connected　with　the　marriage　of　her　who　became　mother　of　two　English　queensMary；　wife　of　William　of　Orange；　and　Anne；　of　pious　memory。
  CHAPTER　V。
  Morality　of　the　Restoration。Puritan　piety。Conduct　of　women　under　the　Republic。Some　notable　courtiers。The　Duke　of　Ormond　and　his　family。Lord　St。　Albans　and　Henry　Jermyn。His　Grace　of　Buckingham　and　Mistress　Fairfax。Lord　Rochester。Beautiful　Barbara　Palmer。The　King's　Projected　marriage。Catherine　of　Braganza。His　Majesty's　speech。A　Royal　love…letter。The　new　Queen　sets　sail。
  A　general　idea　obtains　that　the　libertine　example　set　forth　by　Charles　II。　and　his　courtiers　is　wholly　to　blame　for　the　spirit　of　depravity　which　marked　his　reign。　　That　it　was　in　part　answerable　for　the　spread　of　immorality　is　true；　inasmuch　as　the　royalists；　considering　sufficient　aversion　could　not　be　shown　to　the　loathsome　hypocrisy　of　the　puritans；　therefore　fell　into　an　opposite　extreme　of　ostentatious　profligacy。　　But　that　the　court　was　entirely　responsible　for　the　vice　tainting　all　classes　of　society　whilst　the　merry　monarch　occupied　the　throne；　is　false。
  Other　causes　had　long　been　tending　to　produce　this　unhappy　effect。　　The　reign　of　the　Commonwealth　had　not　been；　remarkable　for　its　virtue；　though　it　had　been　notable　for　its　pharisaism。　With　the　puritan；　words　of　piety　took　place　of　deeds　of　grace；　the　basest　passions　were　often　hidden　under　sanctimonious　exteriors。　　Even　Cromwell；　〃a　man　of　long　and　dark　discourses；　sermons；　and　prayers；〃　was　not　above　reproach。　　Bishop　Burnet；　who　has　no　harsh　words　for　him；　and　few　gentle　ones　for　Charles；　states　the　Protector's　intrigue　with　Lady　Dysart　was　〃not　a　little　taken　notice　of；〃　on　which；　the　godly　man　〃broke　it　off。〃　He　therefore；　Heath　records；　began　an　amour　with　a　lady　of　lesser　noteMrs。　Lambert；　the　wife　of　a　puritan；　herself　a　lady　devoted　to　psalm　singing　and　audible　prayer　when；　not　otherwise　pleasantly　engaged。
  The　general　character　of　many　news…sheets　of　the　day　proves　that　morality　under　the　Republic　was　at　a　low　ebb。　　Anarchy　in　a　kingdom　invariably　favours　dissoluteness　in　a　people；　inasmuch　as　the　disturbance　of　civil　order　tends　to　unsettle　moral　law。　Homes　being　divided　amongst　themselves　by　political　strife；　paternal　care　was　suspended；　and　filial　respect　ignored。　　In　the　general　confusion　which　obtained；　the　distinction　of　social　codes　was　overlooked。　　Lord　Clarendon　states　that；　during　this　unhappy　period；　young　people　of　either　sex　were　〃educated　in　all　the　liberty　of　vice；　without　reprehension　or　restraint。〃　　He　adds；　〃The　young　women　conversed　without　any　circumspection　or　modesty；　and　frequently　met　at　taverns　and　common　eating…houses。〃　　An　additional　description　of　the　ways　and　manners　of　young　maidens　under　the　Republic　is　given　in　a　rare　and　curious　pamphlet　entitled　〃A　Character　of　England　as　it　was　lately　presented　in　a　Letter　to　a　Nobleman　of　France〃；　printed　in　the　year　1659；　for　Jo。　Crooke；　and　sold　at　the　Ship　in　St。　Paul's　Yard。　　Having　spoken　of　taverns　where　〃fury　and　intemperance〃　reign；　and　where；　〃that　nothing　may　be　wanting　to　the　height　of　luxury　and　impiety；　organs　have　been　translated　out　of　the　churches　for　the　purpose　of　chanting　their　dithyrambics　and　bestiall　bacchanalias　to　the　tune　of　those　instruments　which　were　wont　to　assist　them　in　the　celebration　of　God's　praises；〃　the　writer　continues：　　〃Your　lordship　will　scarce　believe　me　that　the　ladies　of　greatest　quality　suffer　themselves　to　be　treated　in　one　of　those　taverns；　where　a　curtezan　in　other　cities　would　scarcely　vouchsafe　to　be　entertained；　but　you　will　be　more　astonish't　when　I　shall　assure　you　that　they　drink　their　crowned　cups　roundly；　strain　healths　through　their　smocks；　daunce　after　the　fiddle；　kiss　freely；　and　tearm　it　an　honourable　treat。〃　　He　furthermore　says　they　were　to　be　found　until　midnight　in　company　with　their　lovers　at　Spring　Garden；　which　seemed　to　be　〃contrived　to　all　the　advantages　of　gallantry。〃　　From　which　evidences　it　may　be　gathered；　that　London　under　the　Commonwealth　was　little　less　vicious　than　under　the　merry　monarch。
  The　court　Charles　speedily　gathered　round　him　on　his　restoration　was　the　most　brilliant　the　nation　had　ever　witnessed。　　Those　of　birth　and　distinction　who　had　sought　refuge　abroad　during　the　late　troubles；　now　joyfully　returned：　　whilst　the　juvenile　branches　of　noble　families　living　in　retirement　in　England；　to　whom　royalty　had　been　a　stranger；　no　less　eagerly　flocked　to　the　presence　of　the　gay　young　king。　　The　wit　and　politeness　of　the　men；　the　grace　and　beauty　of　the　women；　who　surrounded　Charles　II。　have　become　proverbial；　whilst　the　gallantries　of　the　one；　and　the　frailties　of　the　other；　savour　more　of　romance　than　reality。
  That　the　condition　of　the　court　on　its　establishment　may　be　realized；　it　is　necessary；　at　this　stage　of　its　history；　to　introduce　briefly　some　of　the　chief　personages　who　surrounded　his　majesty；　and　occupied　prominent　attention　in　the　annals　of　his　reign。　　Notably　amongst　them　were　the　gallant　Duke　of　Ormond　and　his　family。　　His　grace；　now　in　his　fiftieth　year；　was　distinguished　for　his　commanding　appearance；　gracious　manner；　and　excellent　wit。　　During　the　troubles　of　the　civil　war；　he　had　proved　himself　a　most　loyal　subject；　inasmuch　as　he　had　vested　his　fortune　and　ventured　his　person　in　service　of　the　late　king。　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　abroadan　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