eir carriages.

The king's two favorites--Madame de la Valliere, whose beauty and
power were on the wane, and Madame de Montespan, who was then in the
zenith of her triumph--were often invited by the king to take a seat
in the royal carriage by the side of the queen and Madame. The most
beautiful woman then in the French court was Louise Renee,
subsequently known in English annals as the Duchess of Portsmouth. She
was to accompany her royal mistress to the court of Charles II., and
had received secret instructions from the king in reference to the
influence she was to exert. Louise Renee was to be the bribe and the
motive power to control the king.

Brilliant as was this royal cortege, the journey, to its prominent
actors, was a very sad one. The queen, pliant and submissive as she
usually was, could not refrain from some expressions of bitterness in
being forced to such intimate companionship with her rivals in the
king's favor. There were also constant heart-burnings and bickerings,
which etiquette could not restrain, between Philip and his spouse
Henrietta. _Madame_ was going to London as the confidential messenger
of the king, and she refused to divulge to her husband the purpose of
her visit. Louis XIV. was embarrassed by three ladies, each of whom
claimed his exclusive attention, and each of whom was angry if he
smiled upon either of the others. In such a party there could be no
happiness.

As this gorgeous procession, crowding leagues of the road, swept
along, few of the amazed peasants who gazed upon the glittering
spectacle could have suspected the misery which was gnawing at the
heart of these high-born men and proud dames. Upon arriving at the
coast, Henrietta, with her magnificent suite, embarked for England.
The negotiation was perfectly successful. The fascinating Louise Renee
immediately made the entire conquest of the king. Her consent to
remain a member of his court, and the offer of several millions of
money to Charles II., secured his assent to whatever the French king
desired. It is said that he the more readily abandoned his alliance
with Holland, since he hated the Protestants there, whose religion so
severely condemned his worthless character and wretched life. A treaty
of alliance was speedily drawn up between Charles II. and Louis XIV.

His Britannic majesty then, with a splendid retinue, accompanied his
sister Henrietta to the coast, where she embarked for Calais. The
French court met her