enbigh, the Countess of Holland, and Lady Elizabeth Fielding were her
companions; whilst the official attendants on her person were the Earl
of Holland, Lord Goring, Mr. Percy, and Mr. Jermyn. Led to her place by
"Mrs. Basse, the law-woman," Henrietta took a seat upon a scaffold fixed
along the northern side of the hall, and amidst a crush of benchers'
wives and daughters saw the play and heartily enjoyed it.

Says Whitelock, at the conclusion of his account of the grand masque
given by the four inns, "Thus these dreams past, and these pomps
vanished." Scarcely had the frolic terminated when death laid a chill
hand on the time-serving Noy, who in the consequences of his dishonest
counsels left a cruel legacy to the master and the country whom he alike
betrayed. A few more years--and John Finch, having lost the Great Seal,
was an exile in a foreign land, destined to die in penury, without
again setting foot on his native soil. The graceful Herbert, whose
smooth cheek had flushed with joy at Henrietta's musical courtesies,
became for a brief day the mock Lord Keeper of Charles II.'s mock court
at Paris, and then, dishonored and disowned by his capricious master, he
languished in poverty and disease, until he found an obscure grave in
the French capital. More fortunate than his early rival, Edward Hyde
outlived Charles Stuart's days of adverse fortune, and rose to a
grievous greatness; but like that early rival, he, too, died in exile in
France. Perhaps of all the managers of the grand masque the scholarly
pedant, John Selden, had the greatest share of earthly satisfaction. Not
the least fortunate of the party was the historian of "the pomp and
glory, if not the vanity of the show," who having survived the
Commonwealth and witnessed the Restoration, was permitted to retain his
paternal estate, and in his last days could tell his numerous
descendants how his old chum, Edward Hyde, had risen, fallen,
and--passed to another world.

CHAPTER XXXII.

AN EMPTY GRATE.

With the revival of gaiety which attended and followed the Restoration,
revels and masques came once more into vogue at the Inns of Court,
where, throughout the Commonwealth, plays had been prohibited, and
festivals had been either abolished or deprived of their ancient
hilarity. The caterers of amusement for the new king were not slow to
suggest that he should honor the lawyers with a visit; and in accordance
with their counsel, His Majesty took water o