DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48088#0277
THE FORTUNE-TELLER.
243
By the side of Rochester, and leaning on the arm of Buckingham, was the celebrated Bishop
Blond, while the Earl of Shaftsbury seated on a settee, surveyed the group with a most rueful
countenance. As these gentlemen were seldom serious except when their pockets, or what was
nearly the same thing, those of the King were empty; and as on this occasion the party were
extremely so, it was evident that the royal exchequer was by no means in a flourishing condition-
“All is lost!” exclaimed Charles, turning to Rochester, whose business it was to supply
the never failing wants of the King’s privy purse; “we have nothing left but this diamond ring,
and yet I must have money.”
“The diamond box in which the citizens of London presented Your Majesty with the freedom
of the City, may perhaps help us over the difficulty,” said Rochester.
“Ah, that ridiculous idea of the Lord Mayor’s was too comical,” cried Charles. “We have
given the box to her.”
“To the Countess of Portsmouth?” said Rochester.
Charles nodded. Rochester shrugged his shoulders, and hummed part of the song commencing
“Go away, my wealth and fortune.”
“Do you know of how much you robbed me, during the last eight days, accursed vampires!”
cried Charles, in a tone that showed his habitual good-humour had departed.
“King Charles,” said Bishop Blond, who had obtained the greater part of the plunder, ‘’ I
have fasted during the last four weeks.”
“And is that the reason why you swallowed six thousand pounds at a meal yesterday!” said
the King, “and I have paid your debts too,” cried Charles, turning to Rochester, and “God’s
blood,”—what debts! and you too, Schaftsbury! The sums that your four Roman festivals in
Ashley-House have cost me!—I believe you are the most scandalously extravagant person in our
Kingdom.” .
“If your Majesty speaks only of such as are subjects,” replied Shaftsbury, “I think it
probable you are right, without however pretending to rival my Lord of Rochester, in that
particular.”
“And you, Buckingham!” continued the King, “you have lent me money, but you have
cheated me in play; when I gave you up my cards for a few moments, you lost five hundred
guineas to Blond on my account, that you might afterwards share the plunder with him. What
can a King do when surrounded by such a shoal of Sharks! You deserve that I should clap you
all into the Tower, or rather have you hung at Tyburn! I advise you for your own sakes to
disgorge your plunder, or it may be the worse for you!—You have swallowed every farthing of
the money given me by the Parliament for the arming of the fleet.”
“The chaste, modest, and clever Charles is too moderate in his demands,” said Rochester
mischievously.
“England is defenceless!” cried the King, who had worked himself into a perfect fury, “and
if Geand, Ruyter, and De Witt appear in the Thames, am I to send a gang of scoundrels like
yourselves to drive them forth?—either give me money, or relieve me from these accursed Hol-
landers, or by God’s life,”—
“Money shall be procured, and the Dutchman shall not come,” said Rochester at length;
“give me full power to treat, and the people of England shall see no Dutch flag floating on the
Thames; but on the contrary, hei’ Sovereign shall see a goodly number of broad Dutch ducats.”
“Do you intend to go to Breda, to take part in the negotiations for Peace!” asked Charles
31*
243
By the side of Rochester, and leaning on the arm of Buckingham, was the celebrated Bishop
Blond, while the Earl of Shaftsbury seated on a settee, surveyed the group with a most rueful
countenance. As these gentlemen were seldom serious except when their pockets, or what was
nearly the same thing, those of the King were empty; and as on this occasion the party were
extremely so, it was evident that the royal exchequer was by no means in a flourishing condition-
“All is lost!” exclaimed Charles, turning to Rochester, whose business it was to supply
the never failing wants of the King’s privy purse; “we have nothing left but this diamond ring,
and yet I must have money.”
“The diamond box in which the citizens of London presented Your Majesty with the freedom
of the City, may perhaps help us over the difficulty,” said Rochester.
“Ah, that ridiculous idea of the Lord Mayor’s was too comical,” cried Charles. “We have
given the box to her.”
“To the Countess of Portsmouth?” said Rochester.
Charles nodded. Rochester shrugged his shoulders, and hummed part of the song commencing
“Go away, my wealth and fortune.”
“Do you know of how much you robbed me, during the last eight days, accursed vampires!”
cried Charles, in a tone that showed his habitual good-humour had departed.
“King Charles,” said Bishop Blond, who had obtained the greater part of the plunder, ‘’ I
have fasted during the last four weeks.”
“And is that the reason why you swallowed six thousand pounds at a meal yesterday!” said
the King, “and I have paid your debts too,” cried Charles, turning to Rochester, and “God’s
blood,”—what debts! and you too, Schaftsbury! The sums that your four Roman festivals in
Ashley-House have cost me!—I believe you are the most scandalously extravagant person in our
Kingdom.” .
“If your Majesty speaks only of such as are subjects,” replied Shaftsbury, “I think it
probable you are right, without however pretending to rival my Lord of Rochester, in that
particular.”
“And you, Buckingham!” continued the King, “you have lent me money, but you have
cheated me in play; when I gave you up my cards for a few moments, you lost five hundred
guineas to Blond on my account, that you might afterwards share the plunder with him. What
can a King do when surrounded by such a shoal of Sharks! You deserve that I should clap you
all into the Tower, or rather have you hung at Tyburn! I advise you for your own sakes to
disgorge your plunder, or it may be the worse for you!—You have swallowed every farthing of
the money given me by the Parliament for the arming of the fleet.”
“The chaste, modest, and clever Charles is too moderate in his demands,” said Rochester
mischievously.
“England is defenceless!” cried the King, who had worked himself into a perfect fury, “and
if Geand, Ruyter, and De Witt appear in the Thames, am I to send a gang of scoundrels like
yourselves to drive them forth?—either give me money, or relieve me from these accursed Hol-
landers, or by God’s life,”—
“Money shall be procured, and the Dutchman shall not come,” said Rochester at length;
“give me full power to treat, and the people of England shall see no Dutch flag floating on the
Thames; but on the contrary, hei’ Sovereign shall see a goodly number of broad Dutch ducats.”
“Do you intend to go to Breda, to take part in the negotiations for Peace!” asked Charles
31*