CHARLES THE SECOND.

3

of the great Cardinal, completed the group. She had beenearly removed from her native Italy to the court where her'uncle was supremo. His power and her own attractions haddrawn a crowd of illustrious suitors round her. Charles him-self, during his exile, had sought her hand in vain. No giftof nature or of fortune seemed to be wanting to her. Her facewas beautiful with the rich beauty of the South, her under-standing quick, her manners graceful, her rank exalted, herpossessions immense; but her ungovernable passions hadturned all these blessings, into curses. She had found themisery of an ill assorted marriage intolerable, had fled fromher husband, had abandoned her vast wealth, and, afterhaving astonished Home and Piedmont by her adventures,had fixed her abode in England. Her house was the favouriteresort of men of wit and pleasure, who, for the'sake of hersmiles and her table, endured her frequent fits of insolenceand ill humour. Rochester and Godolphin sometimes forgotthe cares of state in her company. Barillon and Saint Evre-mond found in her drawing room consolation for their longbanishment from Paris. The learning of Vossius, the wit ofWaller, were daily employed to flatter and amuse her. Buther diseased mind required stronger stimulants, and soughtthem in gallantry, in basset, and in usquebaugh.* WhileCharles flirted with his three sultanas, Hortensia’s Frenchpage, a handsome boy, whose vocal performances were thedelight of Whitehall, and were rewarded by numerous pre-sents of rich clothes, ponies, and guineas, warbled someamorous verses.** A party of twenty courtiers was seated atcards round a large table on which gold was heaped inmountains.*** Even then the King had complained that he did

* Saint Evremond, passim. St. R6al, Mdmoires de la Duchesse deMnzarin; Rochester’s Farewell; Eveljn’s Diary, Sept. 6. 1616, June 11.1669.

** Evelyn’s Diary, Jan. 28.168}; Saint Evremond’s Letter to Ddry.

*** Evelyn’s Diary, Feb. 4.168}.

CHAP.

iv.

1683.

1