dangerous and desperate measure, and then by her thoughtless
indiscretion had completely defeated the end. A universal and utterly
uncontrollable excitement burst like a clap of thunder upon the country
as this outrage, as they termed it, of the king became known, and the
queen was utterly appalled at the extent and magnitude of the mischief
she had done.

The mischief was irremediable. The spirit of resentment and indignation
which the king's action had aroused, expressed itself in such tumultuous
and riotous proceedings as to render the continuance of the royal
family in London no longer safe. They accordingly removed up the river
to Hampton Court, a famous palace on the Thames, not many miles from
the city. There they remained but a very short time. The dangers which
beset them were evidently increasing. It was manifest that the king
must either give up what he deemed the just rights and prerogatives
of the crown, or prepare to maintain them by war. The queen urged him
to choose the latter alternative. To raise the means for doing this,
she proposed that she should herself leave the country, taking with
her, her jewels, and such other articles of great value as could be
easily carried away, and by means of them and her personal exertions,
raise funds and forces to aid her husband in the approaching struggle.

The king yielded to the necessity which seemed to compel the adoption
of this plan. He accordingly set off to accompany Henrietta to the
shore. She took with her the young Princess Mary; in fact, the
ostensible object of her journey was to convey her to her young husband,
the Prince of Orange, in Holland. In such infantile marriages as theirs,
it is not customary, though the marriage ceremony be performed, for
the wedded pair to live together till they arrive at years a little
more mature.