at the Cardinal's palace this afternoon to ascertain the fact."

This Jocelyn was determined to do, when upon obtaining an interview with Lord Crofts, he soon found that his young friend had by no means overrated his influence, which indeed seemed to have very materially increased since his last visit.-Jocelyn's preparations were soon made; those of the Queen Mother and her attendants were not so quickly despatched; but at length the whole party set forward on their route to Boulogne. During the progress of the journey, Jocelyn was more and more astonished at the deference shown to his young friend, who now took his meals with the Queen Mother, and was treated with a homage and distinction quite inconsistent with his ostensible rank. These thoughts and his regrets at having been obliged to leave Paris without discovering the incognita, whose black eyes had so bewitched his fancy, occupied his mind until they were absorbed in the many feelings that possessed him, when he arrived at Boulogne, and saw the gallant yachts and pleasure-boats, which had been sent by the King, for the purpose of conveying the Queen Mother and her retinue in becoming state to the river Thames. Short as was the voyage they had to perform, it was not unattended with danger, a storm having suddenly arisen which drove them for some time up the Channel, and so terrified Lord Crofts that he cried in the most pitiful manner, although his young son

implored him not to expose himself to the derision of Lord Sandwich, who was on board the same yacht, and who jocosely offered to sell his lucrative post under Government for one day's purchase. At length, however, after much buffeting with the angry element, they were enabled to make the mouth of the river; and Jocelyn being set ashore at Gravesend, where he planted his foot upon terra firma with no small satisfaction, hired a horse, and hastened to join his father, who had now been fain to take up his residence at the old moated house in the vicinity of Brambletye.

CHAPTER II.

"True, I have married her :

The very head and front of my offending
Hath this extent, no more."

SHAKSPEARE.

WHEN Sir John Compton had returned to Bruges after having placed Jocelyn at Paris, he had been received by the King with his usual courtesy, and had been invited to all the festive parties, drinking bouts, card-playings, merry-makings, dances, masqueradings, and excursions, by which the Monarch himself, as well as his courtiers and courtezans, endeavoured to beguile the tedium of exile, and take their revenge of fortune. Where hardly any of them had the command of wealth, while all recklessly sought its wildest gratifications, it was natural that they should resort to the most desperate gambling, which, while it enabled some to pursue their pleasures, ruined others, and demoralized all. If there was little honour in being-admitted to such orgies, Sir John soon found that there was less profit. By no means such an adept at play as most of his companions, some of whom,

moreover, hesitated not to resort to mal-practices which he would have disdained to use, * he soon found his narrow finances exhausted; while the sequestration placed upon Brambletye prevented his receiving supplies from England. For some years past, the wandering and necessitous court had been followed by a little swarm of Jews, money-lenders, and harpies of all sorts, who, for the trifling consideration of fifteen or twenty per cent. interest, made temporary advances to such of the Cavaliers as were in the habit of receiving remittances from their own country, and therefore held forth some prospect of re-payment. In this manner had the King himself often anticipated his fifth of the prizes captured at sea by Prince Rupert, or the whole of his allowance from the French Government, both of which sources of supply were at length cut off; and with the declining credit of their master, that of the courtiers invariably kept pace.

These money-lenders and their agents being the common media of secret communication with England, had opportunities of inquiry into every man's private affairs, of which they very often knew more

*Count de Grammont scruples not to record himself, by the pen of his friend, Count Anthony Hamilton, a sharper and a blackleg. Both were considered the ornaments of the restored court of Charles the Second, and both seem to have thought that there was a merit in this species of knavery, provided it were adroitly practised, and escaped detection.

than the parties themselves. By this intelligence they governed their advances, and being sometimes entrusted to bring back remittances, they had the means of re-paying themselves; à lucky opportuni ́ty, which they took good care never to neglect. During the latter years of the Protectorate, when Cromwell's power appeared to be consolidated beyond all chance of an overthrow, these worthies had become much more importunate to recover old debts, than disposed to make new loans, often expressing their wonder what had become of money, for the deuce a pistole or ducat could they lay hands upon in any quarter. When, however, their emissaries sent them intelligence of Cromwell's alarming sickness, news which was known to them sooner than to the King, the cash once more found its way most unaccountably into circulation; the monarch forgot all his past troubles and future prospects, in the present delight of being again enabled to raise money upon any terms; and his courtiers participated, more or less, in the general alleviation of pecuniary difficulties. The gaming table again sparkled with gold, the courtezans with diamonds redeemed from pledge; all parties united in wasting to-day's supply as riotously as they could; and as for to-morrow, it was a sort of uncertainty that was never allowed to interfere with present gratification.

Sir John had so far joined the court at a favourable period, that the sickness of the Protector be4*

VOL. II.