ir to the crown. Moreover, he hinted he could a tale unfold
regarding her behaviour. At this the duke became impatient to hear what
his good friend had to say; whereon that valiant gentleman boasted, with
an air of bravery and truth, of certain gallantries which had passed
between him and the lady. On hearing this, James, being credulous was
sorely depressed. He ceased to visit his wife, withdrew from general
company; and so well did Sir Charles's scheme succeed, that before the
queen's arrival, the duke had decided on denying his marriage with one
who had brought him dishonour. The king, however, put no faith in these
aspersions; he felt sure "there was a wicked conspiracy set on foot by
villains."

It therefore happened the queen was spared the trouble she had
anticipated with her son; indeed, he humbly begged her pardon for
"having placed his affections so unequally, of which he was sure there
was now an end"--a confession most gratifying to her majesty. The duke's
bitter depression continued, and was soon increased by the death of his
sister, the Princess of Orange, which was occasioned by smallpox on the
23rd of December, 1660. In her last agonies Lord Clarendon says "she
expressed a dislike of the proceedings in that affair, to which she had
contributed too much." This fact, together with his royal highness's
unhappiness, had due weight on Sir Charles 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 q