Buckingham had held out to his Puritan friends the hope of his conversion for some years; and when they attempted to convert him, he had appointed a time for them to finish their work.  They kept their promise, and discovered him in the most profligate society.  It was indeed impossible to know in what directions his fancies might take him, when we find him believing in the predictions of a poor fellow in a wretched lodging near Tower Hill, who, having cast his nativity, assured the duke he would be king.

He had continued for years to live with the Countess of Shrewsbury, and two months after her husband’s death, had taken her to his home.  Then, at last, the Duchess of Buckingham indignantly observed, that she and the countess could not possibly live together.  ‘So I thought, madam,’ was the reply.  ’I have therefore ordered your coach to take you to your father’s.’  It has been asserted that Dr. Sprat, the duke’s chaplain, actually married him to Lady Shrewsbury, and that his legal wife was thenceforth styled ‘The Duchess-dowager.’

He retreated with his mistress to Claverdon, near Windsor, situated on the summit of a hill which is washed by the Thames.  It is a noble building, with a great terrace in front, under which are twenty-six niches, in which Buckingham had intended to place twenty-six statues as large as life; and in the middle is an alcove with stairs.  Here he lived with the infamous countess, by whom he had a son, whom he styled Earl of Coventry, (his second title,) and who died an infant.

One lingers still over the social career of one whom Louis XIV. called ‘the only English gentleman he had ever seen.’  A capital retort was made to Buckingham by the Princess of Orange, during an interview, when he stopped at the Hague, between her and the Duke.  He was trying diplomatically to convince her of the affection of England for the States.  ‘We do not,’ he said, ’use Holland like a mistress, we love her as a wife.’ ’Vraiment je crois que vous nous aimez comme vous aimez la votre,’ was the sharp and clever answer.

On the death of Charles II., in 1685, Buckingham retired to the small remnant of his Yorkshire estates.  His debts were now set down at the sum of L140,000.  They were liquidated by the sale of his estates.  He took kindly to a country life, to the surprise of his old comrade in pleasure, Etherege.  ‘I have heard the news,’ that wit cried, alluding to this change, ’with no less astonishment than if I had been told that the Pope had begun to wear a periwig and had turned beau in the seventy-fourth year of his age!’

Father Petre and Father Fitzgerald were sent by James II. to convert the duke to Popery.  The following anecdote is told of their conference with the dying sinner:—­’We deny,’ said the Jesuit Petre, ’that any one can be saved out of our Church.  Your grace allows that our people may be saved.’—­’No,’ said the duke, ’I make no doubt you will all be damned to a man!’ ‘Sir,’ said the father, ’I cannot argue with a person so void of all charity.’—­’I did not expect, my reverend father,’ said the duke, ’such a reproach from you, whose whole reasoning was founded on the very same instance of want of charity to yourself.’