ts occurrence King Charles
was pleased, "in contemplation of the services heretofore done to his
majesty by most of the persons engaged in the late duel or rencontre, to
graciously pardon the said offence." Three months after the day on which
he fought, Lord Shrewsbury died from effects of his wounds, when the
duke boldly carried the widow to his home. The poor duchess, who had
patiently borne many wrongs, could not stand this grievous and public
insult, and declared she would not live under the same roof with so
shameless a woman. "So I thought, madam," rejoined her profligate lord,
"and have therefore ordered your coach to convey you to your father."

The countess continued to live with her paramour; nor was the court
scandalized. The queen, it is true, openly espoused the cause of the
outraged duchess, and sought to enlist sympathy on her behalf; but so
low was the tone of public morality that her words were unheeded, and no
voice was raised in protest against this glaring infamy. Nay, the duke
went further still in his efforts towards injuring the wife to whom he
owed so much, and who loved him over-well; as he caused his chaplain,
the Rev. Thomas Sprat, to marry him to my Lady Shrewsbury; and
subsequently conferred on the son to which she gave birth, and for whom
the king stood godfather, his second title of Earl of Coventry. His wife
was henceforth styled by the courtiers Dowager Duchess of Buckingham.
It is worthy of mention that the Rev. Thomas Sprat in good time became
Bishop of Rochester, and, it is written, "an ornament to the church
among those of the highest order."

One of the most extraordinary characters which figured in this reign was
Thomas Blood, sometimes styled colonel. He was remarkable for his great
strength, high courage, and love of adventure. The son of an Irish
blacksmith, he had, on the outbreak of civil warfare in his native
country, joined Cromwell's army; and for the bravery he evinced was
raised to the rank of lieutenant, rewarded by a substantial grant of
land, and finally made a justice of the peace. At the restoration he was
deprived of this honour, as he was likewise of the property he called
his, which was returned to its rightful owner, an honest royalist.
Wholly dissatisfied with a government which dealt him such hardships,
he organised a plot to raise an insurrection in Ireland, storm Dublin
Castle, and seize the Duke of Ormond, then lord lieutenant. This
dark scheme was discover