And
finally, he made bold to cast some reflections upon my Lady
Castlemaine, and give his majesty certain warnings regarding her
influence.
At this the king, not being well pleased, rose up, and the
interview, which had lasted two hours, terminated. Lord
Clarendon tells us so much concerning his memorable visit, to
which Pepys adds a vivid vignette picture of his departure. When
my lord passed from his majesty's presence into the privy garden,
my Lady Castlemaine, who up to that time had been in bed, "ran
out in her smock into her aviary looking into Whitehall--and
thither her woman brought her nightgown--and stood joying herself
at the old man's going away; and several of the gallants of
Whitehall, of which there were many staying to see the chancellor
return, did talk to her in her birdcage--among others Blaneford,
telling her she was the bird of paradise."
A few days after this occurrence the king sent Secretary Morrice
to the chancellor's house, with a warrant under a sign manual to
require and receive the great seal. This Lord Clarendon at once
delivered him with many expressions of duty which he bade the
messenger likewise convey his majesty. And no sooner had Morrice
handed the seals to the king, than Baptist May, keeper of the
privy purse, and friend of my Lady Castlemaine, sought the
monarch, and falling upon his knees, kissed his hand and
congratulated him on his riddance of the chancellor. "For now."
said he, availing himself of the liberty Charles permitted his
friends, "you will be king--what you have never been before.
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