spend his life in foreign parts." King Charles was astonished
and perplexed by this confession. James was heir, and as such it
behoved him to wed with one suited, by reason of her lineage, to
support the dignity of the crown, and calculated by her relation
towards foreign powers to strengthen the influence of the throne.
The duke was fully aware of this, and, moreover, knew he could
without much difficulty have his marriage annulled; but that he
did not adopt this course was an honourable trait in his
character; and, indeed, his conduct and that of the king was most
creditable throughout the transactions which followed; an account
of which is set forth with great minuteness in the "Continuation
of Edward Hyde, Lord Clarendon's Life."

Without the advice of his council, the king could give no
satisfactory reply to his brother. He therefore summoned two of
his trusty friends, the Marquis of Ormond and the Earl of
Southampton, whom he informed of the duke's marriage, requesting
them to communicate the same to the chancellor, and return with
him for private consultation. The good man's surprise at this
news concerning his daughter was, according to his own account,
exceeding great, and was only equalled by his vast indignation.
His loyalty towards the royal family was so fervent that it
overlooked his affection to his child. He therefore fell into a
violent passion, protested against her wicked presumption, and
advised that the king "should immediately cause the woman to be
sent to the Tower, and to be cast into a dungeon, under so strict
a guard that no person should be admitted to come to her; and
then that an act of parliament should be immediately passed for
the cutting off her head, to which he would not only give his
consent, but would very willingly be the first man that should