Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/283

Rh having a real value for her lover, they were ſoon united by an indiſſoluble bond.

After the ſolemnization of his marriage, he paſſed ſome time at Rome, where he accepted of a blue garter, affected to appear with the title of duke of Northumberland, and for awhile enjoyed the confidence of the exiled Prince. But as he could not always keep himſelf within the bounds of the Italian gravity, and having no employment to amuſe his active temper, he ran into his uſual exceſſes, which giving offence, it was thought proper for him to remove from that city for the preſent, leſt he ſhould fall into actual diſgrace. Accordingly the duke quitted Rome, and went by ſea to Barcelona, where hearing that the trenches were opening before Gibraltar, he reſolved upon a new ſcene of life, which few ſuſpected he would ever engage in. He wrote a letter to the King of Spain, acquainting him, ‘That he deſigned to take up arms in his Majeſty’s ſervice, and apprehending that his forces were going to reduce the town of Gibraltar under his obedience, he hoped he ſhould have his permiſſion to aſſiſt at the ſiege as a volunteer.’

This done, he went to the camp, taking his ducheſs along with him, and was received with all the marks of reſpect due to his quality. The Conde de la Torres, who commanded there, delivered him an obliging letter from the King his maſter, thanking him for the honour he intended him, by ſerving in his troops, and during that ſiege, appointed him his aid de-camp, by which poſt the duke was to give an account of all tranſactions to his Majeſty himſelf, which obliged him to be often in the trenches, and to expoſe his perſon to imminent danger. During this ſiege want of courage was never imputed to him; on the contrary, he was often guilty of the moſt