a son. A suspicious lover might have had his doubts;
for the lady had several admirers, and was not supposed to be cruel to
any. Charles, however, readily took her word, and poured forth on little
James Crofts, as the boy was then called, an overflowing fondness, such
as seemed hardly to belong to that cool and careless nature. Soon after
the restoration, the young favourite, who had learned in France the
exercises then considered necessary to a fine gentleman, made his
appearance at Whitehall. He was lodged in the palace, attended by pages,
and permitted to enjoy several distinctions which had till then been
confined to princes of the blood royal. He was married, while still in
tender youth, to Anne Scott, heiress of the noble house of Buccleuch.
He took her name, and received with her hand possession of her ample
domains. The estate which he had acquired by this match was popularly
estimated at not less than ten thousand pounds a year. Titles, and
favours more substantial than titles, were lavished on him. He was made
Duke of Monmouth in England, Duke of Buccleuch in Scotland, a Knight of
the Garter, Master of the Horse, Commander of the first troop of Life
Guards, Chief Justice of Eyre south of Trent, and Chancellor of the
University of Cambridge. Nor did he appear to the public unworthy of his
high fortunes. His countenance was eminently handsome and engaging, his
temper sweet, his manners polite and affable. Though a libertine, he won
the hearts of the Puritans. Though he was known to have been privy
to the shameful attack on Sir John Coventry, he easily obtained the
forgiveness of the Country Party. Even austere moralists owned that, in
such a court, strict conjugal fidelity was scarcely to be expected from
one who, while a child, had been married to another child. Even patriots
were willing to excuse a headstrong boy for visiting with immoderate
vengeance an insult offered to his father. And soon the stain left by
loose amours and midnight brawls was effaced by honourable exploits.
When Charles and Lewis united their forces against Holland, Monmouth
commanded the English auxiliaries who were sent to the Continent, and
approved himself a gallant soldier and a not unintelligent officer. On
his return he found himself the most popular man in the kingdom. Nothing
was withheld from him but the crown; nor did even the crown seem to
be absolutely beyond his reach. The distinction which had most
injudiciously been made bet