dermine.
By reason of an integrity rendering him too loyal to the king to pander
to his majesty's mistress, he incurred her displeasure in many ways;
but especially by refusing to gratify her cupidity. It happened she
had obtained from his majesty a warrant granting her the Phoenix Park,
Dublin, and the mansion situated therein, which had always been placed
at service of the lords lieutenants, and was the only summer residence
at their disposal. The duke, therefore, boldly refusing to pass the
warrant, stopped the grant. [According to O'Connor's "Bibliotheca
Stowensis," Lady Castlemaine soon after received a grant of a thousand
pounds per annum in compensation for her loss of Phoenix Park.] This
so enraged the countess, that soon after, when his grace returned to
England, she, on meeting him in one of the apartments in Whitehall,
greeted him with a torrent of abusive language and bitter reproaches,
such as the rancour of her heart could suggest, or the license of her
tongue utter, and concluded by hoping she might live to see him hanged.
The duke heard her with the uttermost calmness, and when she had
exhausted her abusive vocabulary quietly replied, "Madam, I am not in so
much haste to put an end to your days; for all I wish with regard to you
is, that I may live to see you grow old." And, bowing low, the fine old
soldier left her presence. It may be added, though the duke was deprived
of the lord lieutenancy, the countess's pious wish regarding him was
never fulfilled.

It now occurred to those who had relentlessly persecuted the chancellor,
that though they were safe as long as Charles reigned, his death would
certainly place them in peril. For they sufficiently knew the Duke
of York's character to be aware when he ascended the throne he would
certainly avenge the wrongs suffered by his father-in-law. Accordingly
these men, prominent amongst whom were the Duke of Buckingham, Sir
Thomas Clifford, Lords Arlington, Lauderdale, and Ashley, and Baptist
May, resolved to devise means which would prevent the Duke of York ever
attaining the power of sovereignty. Therefore scarce a year had gone by
since Lord Clarendon's downfall, ere rumours were spread abroad that his
majesty was about to put away the queen, This was to be effected, it
was said, by the king's acknowledgment of a previous marriage with Lucy
Walters, mother of the Duke of Monmouth, or by obtaining a divorce on
ground of her majesty's barrenness.

The Duke of