as an
ambitious, selfish man, fond of pleasure. Charles and Henrietta had been
married three years, and during that time people had grumbled against
Buckingham because he was the King's favourite; but though he was
disliked, no one ever guessed what would happen. Buckingham had gone
down to Portsmouth to arrange some matters about shipping, and there he
was stabbed to the heart by a man named Felton. When Felton was brought
to London to answer for his crime, the people followed him with shouts
and acclamations, so pleased were they that he had killed the hated
Buckingham. But King Charles himself was very sad at the loss of his
friend. He was beginning to find out that being a king was not all
pleasure.

For one thing, he wanted money, and the Parliament would not give it to
him. Then he asked rich people to lend him some, and many refused. Of
course, he had a good deal of money; but he had very great expenses, and
he wanted more. So he quarrelled with the Parliament, and that was the
beginning of a long, sad contest. However, it did not get very serious
all at once; but the quarrels between the King and the Parliament
gradually grew worse and worse for many years.

Charles and Henrietta had been married about five years when a little
son came to them, and they called him Charles after his father. He was
not long without a playfellow; for a year after there was a daughter
called Mary, and then another son called James. There is still in
existence a letter which his mother, the Queen, wrote to Prince Charles
when he was a very little boy and was naughty, and would not take his
medicine. Here it is:

'CHARLES,

'I am sure that I must begin my first letter by chiding you,
because I hear that you will not take physic. I hope it was only
for this day, and to-morrow you will do it; for if you will not I
must come to you and make you take it, for it is for your health. I
have given order to my Lord Newcastle to send me word whether you
will or not, therefore I hope you will not give me the pains to go.

'Your affectionate,
'MOTHER.

'To my dear son the Prince.'

I do not know where Henrietta was when she wrote that letter; perhaps
she was staying away at one of the palaces in the country. In London
King Charles still lived in Whitehall Palace, though he had another, of
which you have heard, called St.