But whenever the subject was mentioned to her
majesty, she burst into tears, and would not give heed to his
words. Charles therefore, incensed on his side, deserted her
company, and sought the society of those ever ready to entertain
him. And as the greater number of his courtiers were fully as
licentious as himself, they had no desire he should become
subject to his wife, or alter the evil tenor of his ways.
Therefore in their conversation they cited to him the example of
his grandfather, King James I., of glorious memory, who had not
dissembled his passions, nor suffered the same to become a
reproach to those who returned his love; but had obliged his
queen to bear with their company, and treat them with grace and
favour; and had, moreover, raised his natural children to the
degree of princes of the blood. They told Charles he had
inherited the disposition of his grandsire, and they were sure he
would treat the objects of his affection in like manner as that
king had done. Lady Castlemaine, her friends moreover argued,
had, by reason of her love for his majesty, parted from her
husband; and now that she had been so publicly made an object of
the queen's indignation, she would, if abandoned by him, meet
with rude contempt from the world. To such discourses as these
the king lent a willing ear, the more as they encouraged him to
act according to his desires. He was therefore fully determined
to support his mistress; and firmly resolved to subdue his wife.
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