1856.] ''Royal Families'' —Whence Came They? 433 



It must be admitted, too, that certain unexpressed emotions were at 

 work in his bosom to render him fearful of assuming the responsi- 

 bility and solicitous about the result : he had learned to love the 

 brewer's daughter. 



The young lawyer, however, became the counsel for the widow and 

 daughter, and by his brilliant eloquence and legal ability gained his 

 suit. Two days afterwards, the successful barrister was seated beside 

 his clients. Lady Aylesbury's usual manner was quiet and composed, 

 but now she spoke warmly her thanks to the young lawyer, for his 

 Buceessful efforts in saving herself, and daughtdr fr^om penury, and 

 tendered a most munificent fee for his services. The young advo- 

 cate seemed, however, but ill at ease ; he shifted his position, his color 

 went and came, he played with the bloated purse before him, essayed 

 to speak, stammered, and stopped short. Thinking only of the most 

 effectual way of expressing her gratitude to Mr. Hyde, Lady Ayles- 

 bury rose, saying, "in token that I hold your services above all pe- 

 cuniary compensation, I desire to present to you a memorial of our 

 gratitude in another form." Young Hyde's heart beat tumultuous- 

 ly; he thought she would offer him her daughter's hand, and thus the 

 second '^suit" would be gained. But, drawing from her pocket a 

 bunch of keys, which, in those days, every lady carried, she left the 

 room. What passed during her absence is probably conjectured, 

 and is certainly known by the result; for when Lady Aylesbury re- 

 turned she found her daughter standing with downcast eyes and 

 cheeks suffused, but her hand within Edward Hyde's, who knelt, 

 upon the mother's entrance, and besought her consent to their union! 

 Explanations of the feelings which the parties entertained for each 

 other ensued, and Lady Aylesbury cheerfully gave the desired con- 

 sent. "Give me leave, however," said she to the lover, "to place 

 around your neck, the memorial I intended for you. This chain,"— 

 it was of massive gold,—" was presented to my dear departed husband 

 as a token of respect from the ward in which he lived." Lady Ayles- 

 bury's calm serious eyes filled with tears as she gently placed the 

 chain around Edward's neck, saying, " These links were borne on 

 the bosom of that worthy and honored man : may thou, my son, at- 

 tain to still higher honors." 



Edward Hyde, the son-in-law of Lady Aylesbury, already distin- 

 guished as a lawyer, soon came into parliament, and there, by his abil- 

 ities, became eminent as a statesman, and received from king Charles 

 L the order of knighthood. Not long after, when Oliver Cromwell, 



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