That
he was his offspring the king entertained no doubt, though others
did; inasmuch as young Mr. Crofts grew to resemble, "even to the
wart on his face," Colonel Robert Sidney, whose paramour Lucy
Walters had been a brief while before his majesty began an
intrigue with her. Soon after the boy's birth that beautiful
woman abandoned herself to pleasures, in which the king had no
participation. He therefore parted from her; had her son placed
under the guardianship of Lord Crofts, whose name he bore, and
educated by the Peres de l'Oratoire at Paris. The while he was
continually at the court of the queen mother, who regarded him as
her grandson, and who, by the king's command, now brought him
into England. The beauty of his face and grace of his figure
could not be exceeded, whilst his manner was as winning as his
air was noble. Moreover, his accomplishments were numerous; he
danced to perfection, sang with sweetness, rode with skill; and
so gallant was his nature that he became at this early age, as
Hamilton affirms, "the universal terror of husbands and lovers."
The king betrayed the greatest affection for him, and took
exceeding pride in being father of such a brave and comely youth,
at which my Lady Castlemaine was both wrathful and jealous,
fearing he would avert the royal favour from her own offspring;
but these feelings she afterwards overcame, as will be duly
shown. His majesty speedily showered honours upon him, allotted
him a suite of apartments in the royal palace of Whitehall,
appointed him a retinue befitting the heir apparent, created him
Duke of Orkney and of Monmouth, and installed him a knight of the
garter.
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