where his labours had been most unselfish came the first malignant
insult to his person and the first peril to his life, prefiguring
the hellish plots and violence which drove him to his august
martyrdom--"

The King had entered quietly as the lady-in-waiting read this passage to
the Queen, and, attracted by her voice, continued to listen, signifying
to the Queen, by a gesture, that she and her ladies were not to rise.
This was in the time when Charles was yet devoted to his Princess of
Portugal, and while she was yet happy and undisturbed by rumours--or
assurances--of her Lord's wandering affections.

"And what shire was that?" asked the King at that point where the
chronicler spoke of his royal father's "august martyrdom."

"The shire of Lincoln, your Majesty," said the young lady who read,
flushing. Then she rose from her footstool at the Queen's feet, and made
the King an elaborate courtesy.

Charles waved a gentle and playful gesture of dissent from her extreme
formality, and, with a look of admiration, continued:

"My Lord Rippingdale should know somewhat of that 'first violence' of
which you have read, Mistress Falkingham. He is of Lincolnshire."

"He knows all, your Majesty; he was present at that 'first violence.'"

"It would be amusing for Rippingdale to hear these records--my Lord
Clarendon's, are they not? Ah--not in the formal copy of his work? And by
order of my Lord Rippingdale? Indeed! And wherefore, my Lord