delight at the presence of the young king amongst them, or
satisfy their desire of seeing him. When clad in rich velvets
and costly lace, adorned with many jewels and waving feathers, he
walked in Hyde Park attended by an "abundance of gallantry," or
went to Whitehall Chapel, where "the organs and singing-men in
surplices" were first heard by Mr. Pepys, a vast crowd of loyal
subjects attended him on his way. Likewise, when, preceded by
heralds, he journeyed by water in his barge to open Parliament,
the river was crowded with innumerable boats, and the banks lined
with a great concourse anxious for sight of him. Nor were his
subjects satisfied by the glimpses obtained of him on such
occasions; they must needs behold their king surrounded by the
insignia of royalty in the palace of his ancestors, and flocked
thither in numbers. "The eagerness of men, women, and children
to see his majesty, and kisse his hands was so greate," says
Evelyn, "that he had scarce leisure to eate for some dayes,
coming as they did from all parts of the nation: and the king
being as willing to give them that satisfaction, would have none
kept out, but gave free access to all sorts of people." Indeed
his loyal subjects were no less pleased with him than he with
them; and in faith he was sorry, he declared, in that delicate
strain of irony that ran like a bright thread throughout the
whole pattern of his speech, he had not come over before, for
every man he encountered was glad to see him.

Day after day, week after week, the Palace of Whitehall presented
a scene of ceaseless bustle. Courtiers, ambassadors,
politicians, soldiers, and citizens crowded the antechambers,
flocked through the galleries, and tarried in the courtyards.
Deputations from all the shires and chief towns in the three