Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-03-17
Gistcriral.
THE LAST SUNDAY OF CHARLES THE II

!
NIacaulay, in his work just published,
gives this vivid sketch ofthe scene at White
hall, on the last Sunday on earth of the
Merry Monarch
"His palace had seldom presented gay
er or more scandalous appearance than
on the evening of Sunday, the 1st of Feb
ruary, 1858. Some grave persons who
had gone thither, after the fashion of that
age, to pay their duty to their sovereign,
and who had expected that on such day,
his court would wear decent aspect, We're
struck with astonishment and horror. The
great gallery at Whitehall, an admirable
relic of the Tudors, was crowded with re-
vellers and gamblers. The King sat there
chatting and toying with three women,
whose charms were the boast and whose
vices were the disgrace, of three nations.
Barbara Palmer, Duchess Of Cleveland, was
there, no longer young, but still retaining
some traces of that superb and voluptuous
loveliness which twenty years before over
came the hearts of all men. There too
was the Duchess of Portsmouth, whose soft
and infantine features were lighted up with
the vivacty ofFrance. Hortensia Mancini,
Duchess of Mazarin, and niece to the great
Cardinal, completed the group. She had
been early removed from Der native Italy
to the court where her uncle was supreme.
His power and her own attractions had
drawn a crowd of illustrious suitors around
her. Charles himself, during his exile had
sought her hand in vain. No giE of ma
ture or of fortune seemed to be wanting to
her. Her face was beautiful with the rich
beauty of the south, her understanding
quick, her manners graceful, her rank ex-
allied, her possessions immense; but her un-
governable passions had turned all these
blessing into curses.
She had found the misery of an ill-assort-
ed marriage intolerable, had fled from her
husband had abandoned her vast wealth,
and after having astonished Rome and Pied
mont by her adventures, had fixed her abode
in England. Her house was the favorite
resort OF men of wit and pleasure, who, for
the sake of her smiles and her table, endu-
red her very frequent fits of insolence and
ill-humor. Rochester and Godolphin some
times forgot the cares of stale in her COM
pany. Barilon and Saint Evermond found
in her drawing room consolation for their
long banshment from Paris. The learning
of VossiuS, the wit of Waller, were daily
employed to Aatter and amuse her. But
her diseased mind required stronger stimu-
lants, and sought them in gallantry, in
basset and in usquebaugh. While Charles
tiirted with his three Sultanas, Hortensia's
French page, handsome boy, whose vo-
cal performances were the delight OF White
hall, and were rewarded by numerous pre-
sents of rich clothes, ponies, and guineas,
warbled some amorous verses. A party Of
twenty courtiers We're seated at cards around
a large table, on which gold was heaped in
mountains. Even then the King had COM
planned that he did not feel quite well.-
He had no appetite for his supper; his rest
that night was broken but on the follow
ing morn he rose, as usual, early"
The introduction of the Roman Catholic
priest by the Duke of York, and the last
moments of the king, are thus described