field boarding, at once set
sail, and in a few days landed them at Middleburgh. James proceeded to
the court of his sister, the Princess of Orange, and later on joined his
mother in France.

At the age of twenty he served in the French army, under Turenne,
against the Spanish forces in Flanders, and subsequently in several
campaigns, where he invariably showed himself so brave and valiant that
the Prince de Conde declared that if ever there was a man without fear,
it was James, Duke of York. Now it happened that in 1658 the Princess of
Orange went to Paris in order to visit the queen mother, as the widow of
Charles I. was called. The Duke of York was in the gay capital at this
time, and it soon became noticed that he fixed his attention overmuch on
one of his sister's maids of honour, Anne Hyde. This gentlewoman, then
in her twenty-first year, was the possessor of a comely countenance,
excellent shape, and much wit. Anne was daughter of Edward Hyde, a
worthy man, who had been bred to the law, and proved himself so faithful
a servant to Charles I., that his majesty had made him Privy Councillor
and Chancellor of the Exchequer. After the king's execution, in 1649,
the chancellor thought it wise for himself and his family to seek refuge
in exile, and accordingly joined Charles II., with whom he lived in the
closest friendship, and for whose return he subsequently negotiated with
General Monk.

Now James, after his fashion, made love to Mistress Hyde, who encouraged
his advances until they reached a certain stage, beyond which the
judicious maiden forbade them to proceed unless blessed by the sanction
of holy church. The Duke, impatient to secure his happiness, was
therefore secretly united to Mistress Hyde in the bonds of matrimony
on the 24th of November, in the year of grace 1659, at Breda, to which
place the Princess of Orange had returned. In a little while, the
restoration being effected, the duke returned to England with the
king, leaving his bride behind. And Chancellor Hyde being presently
re-established in his offices, and settled in his residence at Worcester
House in the Strand, sent for his wife and children; the more speedily
as he had received an overture from a noble family, on behalf of "a
hopeful, well-bred young gentleman," who expressed himself anxious to
wed with Mistress Anne.

The same young lady had not long returned, when she informed her husband
she was about to become a mother; whereon the duke