Page:Catherine of Bragança, infanta of Portugal, & queen-consort of England.djvu/166

130 be unhappy in this world and the world to come if I fail in the least degree of what I have resolved, which is of making my Lady Castlemaine of my wife's bedchamber, and whosoever I finde use any endeavours to hinder this resolution of myne (except it be only myself) I will be his enemy to the last moment of my life. You know how true a friend I have been to you; if you will oblige me eternally make this business as easy to me as you can, for I am resolved to go through with this matter lett what will come on it, which againe I solemnly swear before Almighty God. Therefore if you desire to have the continuance of my friendship meddle no more with this business, except it be to beare downe all false and scandalous reports and to facilitate what I am sure my honour is so much concerned in, and whosoever I finde to be my Lady Castlemaine's enimy in this matter, I do promise upon my word to be his enimy as long as I live. You may shew this letter to my Ld. Lnt, and if you have both a mind to oblige me carry your plans like friends to me in this matter.

It says little for Clarendon's courage or honesty that the threat of Charles's enmity should have driven him into doing what he must have felt to be in direct contradiction to his own sense of right. He had condemned Charles's line of conduct to Charles freely. He was now called on to justify it to Catherine, and coax her to yield to it. It is a moral on Court morality of that day that Clarendon took the hint from Charles's letter, written plainly in a temper, and obeyed.

Poor Broderick had evidently given his tongue free rein on the subjects that alone occupied the whole Court. Charles's desire to muzzle the mouths of his courtiers as well as control their actions reads ludicrously to-day. But he was still under the direct