of royalty
in the palace of his ancestors, and flocked thither in numbers. "The
eagerness of men, women, and children to see his majesty, and kisse his
hands was so greate," says Evelyn, "that he had scarce leisure to eate
for some dayes, coming as they did from all parts of the nation: and the
king being as willing to give them that satisfaction, would have none
kept out, but gave free access to all sorts of people." Indeed his loyal
subjects were no less pleased with him than he with them; and in faith
he was sorry, he declared, in that delicate strain of irony that ran
like a bright thread throughout the whole pattern of his speech, he had
not come over before, for every man he encountered was glad to see him.

Day after day, week after week, the Palace of Whitehall presented
a scene of ceaseless bustle. Courtiers, ambassadors, politicians,
soldiers, and citizens crowded the antechambers, flocked through the
galleries, and tarried in the courtyards. Deputations from all the
shires and chief towns in the three kingdoms, bearing messages of
congratulation and loyalty, were presented to the king. First of all
came the worshipful lord mayor, aldermen and council of the city of
London, in great pomp and state; when the common-sergeant made a speech
to his majesty respecting the affection of the city towards him, and the
lord mayor, on hospitable thoughts intent, besought the honour of his
company to dinner, the which Charles promised him most readily. And the
same day the commissioners from Ireland presented themselves, headed by
Sir James Barry, who delivered himself of a fine address regarding
the love his majesty's Irish subjects bore him; as proof of which he
presented the monarch with a bill for twenty thousand pounds, that had
been duly accepted by Alderman Thomas Viner, a right wealthy man and
true. Likewise came the deputy steward and burgesses of the city of
Westminster, arrayed in the glory of new scarlet gowns; and the French,
Italian, and Dutch ministers, when Monsieur Stoope pronounced an
harangue with great eloquence. Also the vice-chancellor of the
University of Oxford, with divers doctors, bachelors of divinity,
proctors, and masters of arts of the same learned university, who,
having first met at the Temple Church, went by two and two, according to
their seniority, to Essex House, that they might wait on the most
noble the Marquis of Hertford, then chancellor. Accompanied by him, and
preceded by eight es