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THE
SEVENTEENTH
^'''''"'\a:il.jl.an
fb
'-^^
V^'^u. *^
EX LIBRIS
HENRI DE FORCER*
f^
U
I^
^S^/
OF COUNT DE GRAMONT
i^
'./}^f//.)r
SOME BEAUTIES
OF THE
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
BY
ALLAN FEA
LONDON
TO
RIGHT HONOURABLE THE VISCOUNT DILLON
PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES
IN
VOLUME
IS
DEDICATED
ETC.,
OF
'
Those
Want
praise
is
crown'd,
By
PREFACE
WHEN
interesting collection
that
known
"The
as
Fair
Women
of paintings
Exhibition"
not
know of any
be guided in
making
by which to
their selection.
And
somehow.
But here we have
We
fore,
content
latter half
of
ourselves
more
it.
vii
particularly
with
the
PREFACE
viii
Comparing the engravings of Mrs. Jameson's wellknown, though somewhat antiquated, work with the
paintings at Hampton Court, Althorp, &c.,
struck by the entire loss of character in many of
original
one
is
faces.
I do not mean to
say that Leiy, Wissing, or Kneller
have given us perhaps such truthful likenesses as Samuel
similarity of
have Nell
or
Mary
rightly be
named
Nor
otherwise.
Her
"
portrait of
rightly
be
Frances
"
should
Lady Whitmore,
Brooke,
and
of
Ossory,"
properly
Duchess of Somerset
of Chesterfield,"
successor (the
'
should
should
l/iirt^
be
Elizabeth
Percy
Butler Countess
Elizabeth
Dormer,
her
PREFACE
Denham
and Lady
ix
should correctly be
named, not
But
as
have
edition of
*'
In
my
it
here reproduced
of Portland, the
The Duke
Duke
W.
Esq.,
W.
W.
A.
Walter
Spicer,
Heath,
Baird,
Esq.,
Whitmore, Esq.,
Esq.,
Esq.,
T.
W. H.
J.
S.
M.
Sutcliffe,
Smith,
Esq.,
Ellis,
Esq.,
and
Esq.,
Dudley
H.
C.
Amendt, Esq.
A. F.
CONTENTS
PAGE
The Duchess
of Mazarin
The Duchess
of Somerset
The Duchess
of Portsmouth
The Duchess
of Richmond
Mary
of
Modena
The Countess
Nell Gwyn
of Castlemaine
112
.128
147
-163
70
.....
.
47
.92
The Countess
de
Gramont
.192
of Shrewsbury
Jennings, and
Goditha Price
.
204
222
239
252
Mademoiselle de
MoNTESPAN
27
.......
....
The Countess
The
Lucy Walter
....
....
The
......
263
277
290
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth
From
a painting by Lely at
Armand
a miniature
by Petitot
in the
de la Meilleraye,
From
To face p.
4
ID
Soissons
Museum
South Kensington
Due
DE Mazarin
lO
Frontispiece
Coombe Abbey
a miniature in
tlie
lO
possession of Sir
J.
G. Tollemachc
Sinclair, Bart.
i6
20
24
From
Anne
.....
Louis XIV.
From
a miniature
by Petitot
at
Ninon
....
de l'Enclos
From a miniature in
38
Museum
38
Museum
From
38
Museum
34
Montagu House
30
44
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Xlll
.....
a painting by Lely at
47
Montagu House
48
52
60
68
70
80
92
98
a painting by Lely at
Hampton Court
Co.)
From
From
a painting by Lely at
Goodwood
a miniature at
Montagu House
.
,,102
a painting by Lely at
Cobham
104
106
Hall
The Duchess
Mary Bagot,
From
Countess of Falmouth
{From a photograph by
T. F.
a painting by Lely at
112
,,
116
120
,,
128
Home
.
Hampton Court
Lucy Walter
From
Smith)
no
,,
Co.)
,,130
From
Charles IL
From
a painting by
Mary Beale
134
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
XIV
Lucy Walter
From
.....
Lucy Walter
From
James,
a miniature at
Duke
of
Monmouth
Beatrice d'Este
Mary
a painting
by Lely
Beatrice d'Este
From
a painting by Lely at
Marie
From
Louise
Co.)
.
>,
154
Hampton Court
Duchesse
d'Orleans,
.
de
,,158
a miniature at
147
,,150
Hampton Court
Montpensier
,,144
& Co.)
Anne
138
at Althori')
a painting by Wissing at
From
From
From
Montagu House
a painting at Versailles
(From a photograph by W. A. Mansell
Mary
To face p. 138
'
158
163
170
176
182
Montagu House
From
From
>>
'88
188
Gramont
192
19S
Gramont
......
by Lely at Althorp
(From a photograph by Franz liaii/slaciigl)
a painting
Nell Gwyn
....
204
From
Nell Gwyn
From
208
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
.....
Nell Gwyn
From
xv
To face p. 212
by Kneller
a painting
at
Albans
St.
Co.)
,,214
From
a miniature at Welbeck
(From a photograph by the Sherwood Photographic
Co.)
......
From
214
Hampton Court
216
Nell Gwyn
From
220
a painting
by Lely
222
230
239
>
242
246
252
above)
254
in the
a painting
by Mary Beale
at Althorp
a painting
by Kneller
at
Althorp
.
Sidney, Earl of Romney
From a miniature by Cooper at Welbeck
Henry
Jane Myddelton
Mrs.
a painting
May)
by Kneller
at Plas
Mrs. Langley
F>om
From
painting
Esq.
by Kneller
in
the
possession of
W.
James IL
From
256
258
260
H.
......
,,256
Power
Power
.
,,256
Power
263
270
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
XVI
To face p. 277
.....
a painting
Miss Lawson
From
by Lely
at Plas
278
Power
284
(From a
286
a painting
....
....
....
by Kneller
(From a photograph by
Louise de la Valliere
From
Museum
Museum
de Montespan
From
Co.)
Museum
Petitot in the
de Vermandois
Madame
W. M. Spooner &
South Kensington
From a miniature by
From
Hampton Court
Louise de la Valliere
Count
at
...
Museum
From a
Marquise de Maintenon
From
....
290
294
294
296
Co.)
Mademoiselle de Fontanges
Tollemache
290
Museum
J.
298
G.
298
SOME BEAUTIES
OF
SO
the
Duke
of Savoy, in whose
dominions she had resided for some time past, hastened
petitor for
her hand,
the
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
found
Cardinal
in
failed to
Mazarin's
conquer hearts
niece,
than that
of Charles.
and
as
when he proposed
to
Matters changed,
Montpensier.
Restoration was brought about.
upon
came over from
ostensibly
the
girl
King was
his
proud cousin
however, when
the
The Ouecn-mother,
willing
enough
to
million livres.
had been
Italian
HORTENSE MANCINI
Alas
What
by storm.
stories
fair
The new
beauty's conquest was both rapid and comOwing to ill-health, the Duchess of Ports-
plete.
mouth's
star
also
As
then
first
favourite, but
when
this
new
rival
appeared
week or
so after the
at
" errant
Court, Evelyn records dining with the
lady,"
as he terms her, at the Lord Chamberlain's in company
with the young Duke of Monmouth and his half-sister,
the little Countess of Sussex ; and a few days before
the King's death he
makes another
allusion to her
the
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
the Prince of
Monaco
was stopped.
But for the antecedents of
this extraordinary
woman,
whose power over the stronger sex reminds one somewhat of Miladi of " The Three Musketeers."
Hortense was the third and handsomest daughter of
Lorenzo Mancini, a powerful Italian nobleman who
had married Cardinal Mazarin's sister, Jeromina.
" del
parental house was in Rome, in the street
Corso," but she was removed from here at a very tender
Her
received
great
things to
which too much plenty and prosperity reduces persons
of this age, in spite of all their good nature."
She
a
when
cabinet
the
containing
alliance
gold pistoles
divided the greater part of
it
all
ten
thousand
was concluded,
among
but
sisters.
"
"
day," she goes on,
wanting other divertisewe
threw
above
three
hundred
ment,
pistoles out at the
One
nrcHKss of ma/akin
HORTENSE MANCINI
it
believed
it
that
it is
caused so
much
displeasure in
but whether
me
him
and
after
it
left
Christendom.
brother and
my
one another,
tell
the truth
'
sister, instead
God
And
afflicted.
it
The
beautiful
nieces.
Balls,
The
diamond
Queen," says
garter slipping
Madame
off,
la
came
"
who
felt
me
in
order
Marquise,
close
to
her
to
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
tighten
She handed
it.
me
my number won
brilliants,
much
a portrait of the
King set in
Queen-mother
" ^
not get over it
more ill-suited pair than the young Duchess and
The
her husband it would be difficult to imagine.
and
his
Eminence.
They could
wayward,
child-wife,
flattered,
and
spoiled,
with
the husband, an
romantic fancy for madcap pranks
fanatic
eccentric and rigid
and monomaniac who,
;
He
young
wife,
and had
all
were harassed
in
and lonely
places,
'
in
go to bed
made
late.
to travel
" Memoirs of
Madame
dc Montcspan."
HORTENSE MANCINI
and where
their lodgings
description.
"
to
began
be weary of making
house
Sedan
near
came to
loneliness,
so
At
many
idle
a country
He
eccentric
corrupt those of
betray
to cry
my
servants
secrets if I
whom
had any
most trusted to
a studious application
odious to
The
my
all
actions
people."
he
crisis at
said,
liberal
nature.
The Duchess
to
own
removed
to the
nunnery of
St.
Mary's of the
Bastille.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
much
He commanded
;
her to
who had
Duchess,
" and
person,"
of a very pleasant
complaisance enough
for
her
to
says
humour,
join
the
had
with her in
first
sleep,
either
gerated.
As
us have some
altogether
invented
or
much exagthem
to let
nuns agreed
us
themselves
to
refuse
what
was
among
necessary, and
to find fault, as if we had been put in there to observe
HORTENSE MANCINI
their rule.
It Is
true that
we
filled
two great
chests
over
were
at that
that
this
time
the
at
accident was
there
represented
as
mere
about, soon tired them out one after another, and one
or two of them sprained their legs striving to run after
After we had been three months in this conwe had leave to go to Chelles, where I knew we
should be more civilly treated, though we could not
us.
vent
have so many
visits
the
thither.
him
refused
I would
I
asked
speak to Monsieur Mazarin.
him what he would have ? But he still replied, I was
that
him
answered
all
him,
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
10
in
in for
him but
and went
his
way.
"A
i
sent
gentleman that the Countess [of Soissons]
to know how I did, carried this news to Paris, and said
it
Bouillon,
and the
the
best
Count de
on horseback upon
At
Soissons, the
Duke
de Bouillon,
report, to
come to my
Madame
rescue.
de Courcelles and
parlor big
never
enough
and we
till
Yet we
difficulty, that if
in that parlor he
The
The
Bouillon.
Duchess's
sister,
Duchess's
Olympia
sister,
Maiuiiii.
Maria Anna
Mancini,
Duchess
de
HORTENSE MANCINI
11
be called to help us
and
Madame de
me out.
had
Courcelles never
went to thank
tugging
them all
and after they had joked a while upon
Monsieur Mazarin's attempt to catch nothing, they all
until she
left
returned back."
The
companion
of
the
Duchess was
afterwards
own country.
The Duke and Duchess of Mazarin,
after several
Mazarin.
another occa-
sionally
entertainment
was a holy-day,
and
the
Duke,
commenced.
This and many other vexations, and the fact that
her husband was applying for a Parliamentary decree
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
12
Hortense
the
wife had
fled,
and he wanted
money and
Having got
jewels.
as far as the
very
When
Gate of
necessary
the news
Shrewsbury
husband
!
have heard.
is
as extraordinaire
my Lady
of discretion
point
by robbing her
see wives do not love devoute husbands,
in
which reason
"
sister,
this
woman
had, besides
many more,
as
so
'
'
1668.
HORTENSE MANCINI
Narcissus, with
gentleman
whom
belonging to
Courbeville, whom I
brother desired Monsieur de
until he
13
had seen
me
Rohan not
out of town.
St.
me
to leave
parted with
him
in
the
Friday
Nancy
following,
that night.
about
The Duke of
Lorraine, hearing of
me
me
gave
of his guards to conduct
into Switzerland.
"
were almost everywhere known to be women ;
and Nannon still, through forgetfulness, called me
We
'
"
stature,
and so
unfit
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
14
apparel,
danger
in
that
myself out of
of diverting
Comte
go
in
therefore,
having been
let
blood by a woman,
their country
nor
could they comprehend that any other but the Duchess
of Longueville could have business that way.
I know
of their
sovereignty.
to me,
laid
made
of the sweetness
of
kindness
to
After
and what
all,
taste
wanted
HORTENSE MANCINI
15
that
pain grew worse, insomuch
it
and
were
Paris
to
I had once
;
thoughts of returning
not that Milan was nearer, and that I hoped to be
my
their
it
was
my
stock of
in a bar-
to
pain ; and for help you shall judge by what hap'ned
Narcissus whether there was much to be hoped for in
that
place.
chirurgion
farrier,
For,
to
let
he
something,
ailing
let
for
him blood
who, going to
sent
"
Soon
The English
translation
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
16
"
all
kind
Duke makes
a damnable rout.
to enquire his
in
who
deeply in love
with him.
It, however, was purely a romantic attachment and innocent enough, owing, perhaps, to the fact
paid his attentions to
of his
Marie,
strict surveillance,
and, as
fell
Madame
de Montespan
with
Madame
de Beauvais.^
First
Lady of
the
Bedchamber
to the
Queen-mother.
H0RTEN8E MANCINI
17
The
upon.
felt
it
bitterly,
and
her endeavours to
in
all
the
ill
things against
following
husband.
Hortensia's
One evening
the
taste,
example
and
leaving
her
tem-
With an
face.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
18
"
Memoirs," written in her
1672, when her
name by a gallant named Cesar Vicard, who styled
was
in
himself the
Abbe de
St.
Real,
come
From
to an end.
The
on horseback
in
servants, a maid,
Windsor's house
in the
for
it
Hor-
tense's use
fallen
into
parture
disfavour,
chagrin
Her
France.
for
in
had
apartments
who had
Whitehall
and romantic
and soul
in
Italian
the
Duchess.
young
The
latter
girl's childish
joined heart
amusements, and
HORTENSE MANCINl
19
visitor to
playmate became necessarily a constant
the King's private apartments. As may be guessed, his
howmerry majesty had no objection. Lord Sussex,
as her
upon
his
Belvoir manuscripts) on
November
2,
young
wife's
We
get an
(among the
1676.
the
good luck
he disliking her
much
converse with
Madam
Mazarine
Madam
week or so
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
20
companionship.
Some months
her
after
this
mother on another
was
put in a convent
absence of the latter,
the
to
trip
but
remove
to
Countess accompanied
the
Ralph
where
France,
she
temporary-
Montagu
persuaded
during
her
to
his resiquarters
for
which
the
dence, viz.,
service,
English Embassy,
though Charles II. no doubt was at the bottom of the
daughter
the
mother
her
revenge, and, by
some
letters,
compromising
got him struck
exposing
out of the Privy Council.
Montagu, who, it will be
transaction,
got
in bringing Hortense
over to England to captivate the King, appears to have
incurred his majesty's displeasure by paying her too
much
attention,
for
according to Count
to be feared on account
though,
Sunderland
whether
know
in
his
'
'
Henry
ii.
p.
I.
HORTKN'Sh:
MWCIM,
DICIIKSS OF MA/ARIX
HORTENSE MANCINI
21
killed.
The
at
bid
first
all-powerful
between the
and
of
introduction
Court
fair
French
disestablish
mistress.
doll-prettiness of
Roman
this classic
capricious Charles to
of the new duchess.
hitherto
the
make him
upon her
as little less
warm and
fresh.
It
was so harmonious
that,
although
Her
dark, she appeared to be of beautiful freshness.
black hair rose in strong waves above her forehead,
jet
as if proud to shade and adorn so lovely a head.
Even an
artist
eyes,
says,
neither."
At
first
the Duchesses of
to
reassert
her
supremacy
as
first
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
22
favourite
easily,
valets,
Whitehall and
at
later
little
live
on.
stated mistress.
of curios, and to be
first in
Docks
Heath at
the bank
beautiful
five in
surrounded by a bevy of
like
herself,
life.
exiled queen
her
to
return
to
him, who,
by
the
way, was
still
i
travelling the country with his apostles.
Hist.
at
is
From
7,
said
St.
to
have
lost
five
HORTENSE MANCINI
removed
to
the
Square (which
character), and
to this
23
This
Row."
is
now known
as
Queen's
retain
the quaint
summer-house or
with some of the
manager.
He
last,
and
his
Mall daily
Pall
in
his
own
from
his
their plates.
The name
is
" Paradise
retained in
Walk," a particularly un-
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
24
it
beauty in
as she
had
This and a
Europe.
partiality for
wine
illness she
After a brief
No
became
his
Dame de
woman found
interment at Notre
this
remarkable
Liesse, the
remains of
a resting-place
in
the
Madame
who
died
first
should,
if it
were
the existence of
possible, appear to the other to prove
a future state.
The latter was dead and buried, but,
cling to the
site
of the
House, the
British
finest
residence
HORTENSE MANCINI
25
gorgeous
and ninety miles of avenues.
In writing to
after the
Duchess
and
of
thought of my eating them with the Duchess
her
all
with
I
Mazarin.
represented her to myself
charms I thought I was at Boughton. The Nile and
This last remark, it
the Crocodiles appeared to me."
may be specified, refers to the lake, not to the nocturnal
of the
effect
truffles
forms and
faces of
upon the
portraits
those
walls.
and blood
flesh
silent
But
if
might
at
least
of the
seventeenth-century
the
named
be able to say
realities
painting attributed
to be herself, she
whom
the lady
really
represents.
portrait of her by
and one
Mignard
is at
Hinchinbrooke,
At the Hotel
by Kneller at Althorp.
Brunst some twenty-five years ago were sold five fullhandsome
length portraits by Lely of Cardinal Mazarin's
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
26
Of
five
four
Lauraguis, de Flavacount, and de la Toumelle
made themselves conspicuous in the eighteenth century
by carrying on the traditions of the amours of the
beautiful
adventuress.
Consecutively
each
of
these
ladies
St.
Marie of Chaillot
temperament
in a
as
it
placed
wall and get away.
'
The
sister
viz.,
Margaret,
HI-.NKII' 11 A.
hi
lll.ss
()|-
OKl.l.ANS
THE
portrait
of the
series
bedroom
bedroom
at
at
Hampton
Court.
in
WilHam
It is
HI.'s state
series,
her mother.
Henrietta
27
is
thus described
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
28
by
Madame
The snowy
plexion rivals that of the gayest flowers.
whiteness of her skin betrays the lilies from which she
Her eyes are blue and brilliant, her lips
sprang.
ruddy, her throat beautiful, her arms and hands well
made.
Her charms show that she was born on a
throne and
is
Her
wit
is
could,
if
learning
she chose.
all
that
can
make
princess perfect,
and
devotes her spare moments to the most varied accomShe dances with incomparable grace, she
plishments.
well
like
an
sings
angel, and the spinet is never so
played as by her
fair
hands.
gaze
upon
her,
all her
grace and winning ways, the Princess inherited not only the intriguing spirit of her mother,
but was haughty, and by no means averse to admira-
with
tion,
indeed somewhat
too
susceptible.
It
must be
was
thirty,
as
29
surrounded by
her before she
it
is
Mary, Queen of
House, Exeter,
two months
after the
at
in the
Bedford
it
better
in the
known
first
Duke
Essex by no means
disposed to
allow her extenuating circumstances.
She and her three companions, a lady-in-waiting, her
'
felt
its site.
"Memoirs of
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
30
On
July 2
St
The
up
cared for.
to carry
little
Princess
to
The
nurse, seeing
difficulty, for
and get
away without observation. In this way they walked to
Dover, Sir John Berkeley following and keeping a
herself as a
in rags,
Axxi'. \ii.i.ii:ks,
coun'ikss of
morion
31
The
companion soothed the misfortunes of the poor Oueen, and her early experience
favourite.
little
and
their
beautiful
but
conceited
Mademoiselle de Montpensier.
monarch posing
young
The French
of Apollo
in the masquerades at Court, cast a halo of romance
around his Majesty, and Cardinal Mazarin's lovely
nieces and other beauties as supernumeraries, only
in his favourite character
than
'
an
alliance
with
widow.
She died
the
to
in 1654.
poverty-stricken
England
in 1651,
when
English
she
became
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
32
Court.
But Louis at this time was too engrossed
with the superior charms of Olympia Mancini, and as
his admiration reverted from her to her sister Marie,
whom the Cardinal had to send away to make place for
the Infanta Marie Therese, the
young
On
his
make
Duke of Orleans
did
he
brother.
He
is
When
own
at
was a severe
strongly
to
33
come up
He
to his expectations.
critic in
eulogistic.
By
tall
"The young
Princess, then
" used
about fifteen years," he says,
me
with
civil
me
aged
all
the
her,
her Highness's
to attend upon her when she
chamber, suffered me
walked in the garden with the
in
me
to be present at
Pepys' Diary,
November
" Memoirs of
Sir
'
rest
22, 1660.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
34
The
the
trip
to
Portsmouth
chapel of the
Palais
their residence
in
in his
sister-in-law's
their
world.
It
to
compare
LOUIS XIV
aesthetic
85
those aimed at
to
by poor
but
there is something strangely
of
n.
Bavaria,
Ludwig
in the tastes of these two
suggestive of the similarity
pleasures
jealous,
fact
of what ill-constructions might be made of her thoughtless behaviour she saw how necessary it was not to give
At
this
But
Comte de
at
became an open
led
him
scandal.
The
rashness of the
to extravagant lengths.
He
Comte
followed her to
Saint-Cloud,
any of the royal
residences where she might be, and serenaded her in
He donned
true Romeo style beneath her balcony.
the disguise of a fortune-teller to obtain a few words
or
Saint-Germain,
with
her
at
the
side
of her sedan.
He,
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
36
when an
which
in
it
was contained.
Some
years afterwards
when
He
a visit to her
tomb
in the
Abbey Church of
St.
after
Denis,
eyes, he
Among
Prince
the
best
de
other
latter a
to
Soissans.
of
Marsillac
Henrietta's
and
the
were
the
Vardes
de
name of
In his jealousy of
admirers
Marquis
dangerous intriguer
compromise the
his project.
his
the
Comtesse de
De Guiche
he had circu-
which had
resulted
in
the
punishment being attributable mainly to Vardes denouncing Louis's own amours with La Valliere, whom,
be mentioned, had been offered to the Marquis
with a marriage portion of a million livres, but which
it
may
the
this
Don
37
and died
in the
eighteenth century,
still
beautiful at the
age of ninety
As Henrietta became more discreet in her romantic
!
who
man
vvas a
The
just
in
"Madame," by
time to
in the
make
least
the
most of
incriminating, no
Julia Cartvvright,
p. 185.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
38
it
originated.
Yet
he, of all
his
who
the
Duke, while
of the handsome
letter
Duke of Monmouth
from Charles
II.,
in
France with a
Monmouth
about
this
time,
was certainly
at
an age
change would be
beneficial.
"
therefore put
him
r.
y.
39
all
the least of
who had
turned
the
won him
and the
fetes
and
balls
Monmouth was
brother became a pensioner of France.
among the grandees who had come to welcome her, and
was
in
the thick of
all
marked
his friend's
p.
own
82.
intolerance
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
40
The
behalf.
favourite had
the
his sister-in-law's
become so
his arrest,
insufferable that
The Duke
raised strong
return to Whitehall.
A
rietta
month before
wrote
Madame
to
de Saint-Chaumont
The Duke,
her unfortunate
" consents to
Henabout
she said,
surroundings.
At
journey with a very bad grace.
his
chief
friends
are
M.
de
the
Marsan,
present
Marquis
de Villeroy, and the Chevalier de Beuvron.
The
my
d'Effiat
Marquis
perhaps a
little
to
me
still tells
my
there
followed
pledged
is
can show
his
what
hate
faults this
him
as
live to
is
my
be unhappy.
may
his constant fear that 1
still
41
We
mistresses
his
have to
three
suffer
see
how
or
four
What
'
to Saint-Cloud on
June 24th.
she
were re-united.
expedition
was soon
The
sunshine
But
Duke and
leaving
the
prospect
harping on the
" Since
old trouble, his friend's exile.
my return," she
wrote to her former correspondent, " the King here has
been very good to me, but as for Monsieur, nothing
dispelled,
ever.
Monsieur
still
The
Princess,
in ill-health
for
some
"Madame," by
Julia Cartwright,
p.
324.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
42
chicory water that she had asked for after dinner. The
doctors treated her for colic, but the agony grew
worse, and she declared that she had been poisoned.
An
relief resulted.
who had
treated the
symptoms only
lightly,
were
at last
forced
to
moiselle,
Gramont,
Treville,'
Madame
de la Fayette, &c.
Princess having endured unutterable pain for
eleven hours, died at three o'clock on the morning
Soissons,
The poor
some
traces
Charles
II.
had
his
suspicions of
Lorraine,
she
says,
before
he
was
removed from
official
to
43
rub
illness,"
my
says.
most
in spite
Writing
in
Madame
To
ledge.
and even
King
if
in the end,
afterwards.'
They
persuaded
in a
Monsieur
that
cup of chocolate.
the
The
Madame
were
at
As soon
mass.
as
Madame had
am
'
poisoned
" Memoirs of
The
Madame
story
is
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
44
a
Simon says
that the
it is
nevertheless true."
Saint-
obtained
shared
But for
all
physician,
die suddenly,
As
the
gifted writer,
Julia
monograph,
it
in the
is
ill
The
effect.
must therefore
resulting from
be attributed to peritonitis,
had contracted while bathing. 3
born
in
1662,
'
who married
Charles
a chill she
Due de
;
II.
Memoirs of Saint-Simon.
"Madame," by
Valois,
Maria Louisa,
of Spain, and
45
Sardinia, this
whom
Edward's brother)
next claimant
Victor
Emanuel
I,,
in
King of
upon as the
His brother
Modena, she had two sons and two daughters, and the
from Princess Henrietta of
Tudor, and
Mary
Stuart,
who
is
termed by the
Had
Jacobites
Dowager
46
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
I-
1.1/ M'.l/I
II
WKIOI
lll->l,K\
Ol'NTKSS
Ol
\i iK
\| r.l
THE
last
Sir
The
picture, however,
at least
by
died
It would be
while engaged upon the work.
interesting
to know if it was finished afterwards by the Court
painter's
younger
rival, Kneller,
of
whom
he was not a
little
jealous ; indeed, the French writer Descamps
rather foolishly asserts that Lely's death was hastened
by Kneller's success.
'
She became
Percy family).
^
widow
at
the age of
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
48
twenty-three,
third
Ralph,
had
figured,
and
married,
three
years
afterwards,
lady's rival,
Percy
The
as
heiress's
grandmother, the widowed
of
Northumberland
Countess
(daughter of
Dowager
the second Earl of Suffolk), who had brought her up,
was a shrewd woman of business, and a diplomatic
little
match-maker, and after she had disposed of her granddaughter's hand thus to her own satisfaction she saw
that the weighty name of Percy predominated over
that of Cavendish in the same way that her daughter,
'
='
Created
He
Duke
Queen Anne's
reign.
to
follow Charles
3
of Montagu in
to the grave.
1()S(F.I.VX
I'1:R( N,
KARl.
retained the
title
49
of Northumber-
land.
The
"
Tom of Ten
Thynne, better known as
Thousand," according to Rochester, was not a brilliant
He was
match, taking the man apart from his estate.
a rake like his boon companion, Monmouth, who
for
Tom
during
his
arranged
little
in
September, 1681,
notwithstanding
the
widow's objections.
"
I must tell
you for news,"
he says, " that our great fortune, my Lady Ogle, took
an opportunity yesterday as she was at the Old
affairs in this
resolution
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
50
report
tells
herself
to
Some
say
us,
my Lord Duke
Albemarle's protection.
the contract shee lately signed rises in her
more time to
little
learn
glance for a
moment
at
before
of Essex,
is
discussing the
heroine of the
diarist's
much
host was
of
Kingston,
or
it,
as the
Earl
the
a union.
highest in the land might aspire to such
Now
more
which
is
penned
'
in
Bclvoir
MSS.
The
letter
is
dated
November
lo,
l68l.
you
my
as
last
heard
it
deale v/ithall.
The
first
rivals
chiefest of
from a
To do it,
my Lady
51
them were
the
Duke of
would be obliged to
N[orthumberlan]d she was
as they
live.
resolved as being a
confirmed
hir in that
bastard, and her granmother
oppinion by coating severall places of Scripture she found
and for the Earl of K[ings]ton her
to that purpose
fully
day
of seeing
the
Lady 0[gle]
at
the
Lady
was no
Lord, which
he
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
52
him
Mr.
by
My
0[gle] now
tould
bid
of
her
Kl.l/AKK IH W KK
>
1IK,N1,K\
COl'NTKS^ OK Nt)K
\l i;l-.l<
1.
AN
>
deny several
fanatically
asked her."
things
that
would
53
be
of November
time
my Lady
his
Ogle.
told
my
who was
their best
Maids of Honour
to retire occasionally
into seclusion.
In this case
Belvoir
MSS., November
15, i68i.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
54
lady's brother,
French
style,
hurt."'
party being
As
Rumours were
ladyship's property.
she would have to return to
its
door.
But
at this
upon the
scene,
Count Coningsmark,
handsome but unprincipled adventurer, who had become infatuated with the young beauty, and determined
At this time, though
to win her favours at any cost.
of
only twenty-two years
age, the Count was an
He was born in
accomplished roue and gambler.
in
had
served
the
and
Dresden,
army in France and
Italy before
won him
success
his
favour
with
the
was
as great as
his
luck
at
'
Belvoir
PP- 49.
*
in
The
1S73.
MSS.,
Hist.
MSS. Com.
App.
Rep.
12,
which
pt.
ii.
5-
old
house
at
Charing
Cross
Sir
in
55
England
His handsome
with Thynne.
his
remarkably
create
an
fair
long
impression
face
hair,
was
a heart as
in
and
figure,
with
calculated
to
assailed.
won
but as his
rival
Duke of Monmouth
says Walpole, was induced by the
as that lady had discovered an amour in which he was
engaged.
Be
this as it
King of Poland of
his
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
56
his
The
villainous
came over
to
his plans,
in disguise early in
England
February,
lame
reason
so
for
when
he was
giving
doing
afterwards examined before the King that he came over
the
was cured
when
Mall,
"At
he
come
to his master at
Mr, Thynne,
Mr. Thynne mortally wounded by five bullets
which had entered his belly and side, shot from a
and
blunderbuss.
to
search
for
57
intelligence
woman
stables
took
lodging in
Bull,' and by
his
'
after-
that used to visit that gentleman, the conhis lodging in Westminster, and there
found out
his
captain,
who
often appointed
him
to watch
quest of
gone,
as
he supposed, in
By
this servant I
several
as
Duke
of
he directed
Monmouth, Lord
us,
till
six o'clock
in the
tance from
him upon
and afterwards
constables,
his person.
wondered
to
some
first
dis-
seized
see
man
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
58
he appeared unconcerned from the beginning notwithstanding he was very certain to be found the chief
actor in the tragedy.
This gentleman had not long
before
the two
by constables with
house, where before
the
King
sent for
my
I
me
and brought to
warrant
could finish
to attend
all
him
my
the examinations,
in Council,
which
was
to
called
way of the
the
persons'
apprehension
and their
had been
the trial."
and form
in
order to
sent to
by
week
mitted.
a
'
Vratz.
later,
="
59
disguise
judging from the superficial way in which his examination was made, was undoubtedly predisposed in his
favour, as he expressed the wish the next day that he
The Count,
might be acquitted.
at
the time
that
in
reality
Mon-
and
attempted,
Boroski eventually confessed that their orders were
not to shoot until the Duke had left the coach.
On
been
but
Stern
the last day of the month, these two and Vratz were
condemned to death, while Coningsmark was acquitted,
much
to
the
by another, saying
had been
it
him
his intention to
challenge
He
him on
the
the scaffold,
Bishop Burnet,
which was erected
who
attended
at the foot of
where
the
deed
had
been
Haymarket
perpetrated,
fear,
the
windows and
smiling
man
at
died with
those
balconies.
whom
more
resolution or
he recognised
Reresby
also
says
in
he
60
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
died
entirely
Coningsmark
to the last
"
less.
remaining firm to
fearless,
me
Seeing
in
my
Among
spectators."
friend
by declaring him
" he
cart to execution,"
says Sir John,
with a steady look as he did to those he
the
his
these
was
bowed to me
knew amongst
the
Duke of
Monmouth who,
had
Abbey,
instrumental in
meeting
on the sands
at
Calais, but
adversary in
sister
Hungary
and
brother
both notorious.
of
arranged
of another
affair. 3
The
handsome
villain
were
this
the
mistress of
who was
George
'
Sec
I.,
is
an illustration of Thynnc's
Another account
Battle of Argas.
.1,1/ Ai:i-:rH
i'i;i-;(
\,
urcHEss of
sc)mkk>i-.
61
Coningsmark was
supposed to
have arranged a rendezvous between him and Princess
Sophia, the result of which was a discovery, and
slighted,
is
Queen Caroline
brought to light.
Queen Caroline told the story to
Robert Walpole.
Sir
The handsome
and accomplished Earl, " a tall black man " like his
His
father, was then in his twenty-seventh year.
the
Duchess
of
returned
from
Paris
mother,
Cleveland,
with the object of
arranging this desirable match if
but
an
possible,
illegitimate, even a royal one, was
beneath a Percy, so his rival claimant, the Duke of
Somerset, was accepted, and on May 30, 1682, for a
third time the heiress became a wife.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
62
Charles
Seymour,
Duke," was
better
" the
known
as
by three
years,
Proud
and twice
shoulder with
a Percy,
took his
take
it
her
"My
rebuked,
fan,
first
for
which
it
she was
a liberty."
severely
Duke, "was
When
he
his daughters to
him.
Having
one day slept longer than usual the girl grew weary
and sat down, and when the great person awoke and
saw this his dignity was considerably hurt.
second
Stuart
of the
Sir
Somerset,
whose
father.
Sir
John
married, and
Charles
succeeded
as
the
sixth
Duke
of Somerset.
In
in
rebellion.'
from
63
Upon
to
am
not."
"
replied,
Though
at least
afterwards
am
aware that
one of those
who
several
anything
When
else.
Sir
William Wyndham,
his
member of
son-in-law, a
all
his
his honours.
resentment
See
"King Monmouth."
had
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
64
From
"
royal card-table with
Handsome
been, and they took their stools. The Countess of Rutland, who records these things, was almost a stranger
at Court, and his Majesty took particular notice of
her,
to
stool
Who
so pleased
We
all
will
the next
two reigns
Duchess through
is
beyond
years later.
65
he had no male
his mother,
and on
his decease,
Hugh
Duke of Northumber-
Proud Duke
as
they
"
also
and
did
which passed to
The
House
his
at
Duchess lived
Petworth,
the
in regal state,
Sussex
mansion
William Wyndham.
Northumberland
famous
some
offence to the
historic house
It
wedded
heiress,
who formed
Wyndham
Petworth
present classical structure it is difficult to trace anything of the old house of the Percys, as it was mainly
"
reconstructed when it passed into " the Proud Duke's
He it was who built the present front
possession.
A drawing
more picturesque
rather
"
at
structure.
"
creepy
story is related by the Earl
of Chesterfield, the Duchess of Somerset's uncle, who
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
66
more conspicuously
maine's Memoir. ^
figures
After
Percy
his
in
first
wife,
Lady Anne
in the
of Charles
I.
"A
summer,
all
of the teaster of
a thing
both
my
shadow
like a
which
it
slid
it,
but in a
moment
to the
feet
made
mee the more concerned, and doubting least some ill
might have happened to my wife, I rid home that
little
'
beliefe
She was
Algernon
Charles
I.'s
Percy,
children.
the
Fide
in Sussex,
where
had
left
07
her with
him went
to
my
wife,
who
^
company with the Lady Essex, her
and another gentlewoman, one Mrs. Ramsey.
being in
sister,
And
mee
to
that
mee
morning
which they
all
some
ill
her
this
all
that
Her
is
at
Petworth,
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
68
the
it
who thought
it,
was
Windsor
at
it
The
of Somerset.
painting
the
as the
Palace
Duchess
of
the
Duchess of Somerset,"
whom
it
certainly
is
not, as at
"
time the " Windsor Beauties
were
the
painted by
royal command the Duchess was in her infancy, and
the time of the painter's death she was only
at
thirteen. 3
sington in
Book of
'
Letter
'^
It
Ernest
is
engraved
Beauties of Charles
p. 65.
"
at
N.B.
Law's
II. 's
Court."
"Historical
There
Kensington
Lcly's painting at
"The
Catalogue
Lady Dcnham."
South
South Ken-
is
is
at
of Hampton Court,"
Chirk Castle, but named
a miniature in the
Museum which
Hampton Court.
Duchess of Somerset."
Plumlcy Collection
was evidently copied from
This also is wrongly named
KLIZAMl.
I|,k(^^
DrcKKSS OV SOMl-Rsi;
69
the
against
him
"And
dear England,
if
aught
understand,
Is
Bury those
Masham.
Lady Masham's maiden name.
Anna.
same.*
Duchess
UPON
when
With
who had
had made
(as
had
been
not failed to
maid of honour
the
with
polished
The
upon
that
his
heart,
and the
parents to
whom
l.Ol'ISK
III.
KIJvdlAI.I.K. I)L(
HKSS OF I'ORTS.MOL' TH
she
reluctantly
safe return
so
71
Charles
afterwards was to
abode
at Whitehall.
recovered from
having occurred
within
to
that she
When Buckingham
arrived at Paris as Envoyinvestigate the particulars of Henrietta's sudden death, and at the same time to conclude
Queen.
Extraordinary to
the
treaty
with
Keroualle wished
French
the
it
to
be
monarch,
believed that
Louise
it
de
was her
for her
such
brilliant prospects
The
Duke,
Sec p. 42.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
72
when he put
in an appear-
from
all
sent over
for a
royal vessel
due
state
not
like
yet
"
la
queen
belle
her
"
Stuart
in
own
right,
(now
but a
Duchess of
show
radiance,
but in
reality
to
Colbert,
the
meanwhile was
King's
infatuation
increased
Cleveland
the
of
influence
and
less
the
He
less.
73
Duchess of
grew
no opportunity of hinting that if the
Arlington
in her
easy-going monarch got peace and quietness
company, her tempestuous rival would have to give
But on her side, the baby-faced diplomatist was
way.
lost
in
else
The mansion
that
which,
house,
made very
an
with
interesting
its
magnificent.
various
It
upon
description of the
additions,
had been
surmounted by urns and statues. The King's apartment was adorned with fresco paintings by Verrio, as
In the centre
were also the great hall and staircase.
^
of the fir-wainscoted
There was
pretty
gallery
chapel,
stood
library,
billiard-table.
bathing-rooms,
artist's first
examples
in
England.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
74
At
it.
the
side
of a canal
beneath
cascade
her
ladyship's
which worked
These luxuries,
front of an inviting avenue of trees.
with a hundred servants to look after one's wants,
made
this
Norfolk
seat a
delightful
place to stop at
Evelyn, journeying
(in October,
to Newmarket,
671), made a halt at Cheveley, close
irresistible
of
the
the residence
Harry Jermyn, of de
1
his
little
Tom
Eliot,
who
in
the
first
it
his
band of
fiddlers. ^
dismissed
as
went
" Flatfoot."
against
on to Euston, where,
75
"On
Newmarket,"
all
filled
"and
lords,
and gallants
there was such a furnished table
as I had seldom seen, nor
anything more splendid and
free, so that fifteen days there were entertained at least
ladies,
200
many
sort.
now and
air
and
then to hunting
thus idly passing the time
but not without more often recess to my pretty apart;
ment where 1 was quite out of all this hurry, and had
when I would to converse with books."
Three days later " Madam Carwell," as the English
called the new mistress, went to the races in
great state
leisure
in his
Majesty's coach
in attendance.^
Of
the early
life
and
six,
Verney Papers.
little
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
76
Madame
known,
without
cestors
hero
Miss
on the maternal
Rebecca
side,
it
will
as the lady
advanced
Marie de Rieux.
to
of
EngUsh Ambassador
at
Paris,
Keroualle
and
his
lady.
says,
77
same with
our
Welch. "^
It
is
in
Monsieur
made no ambitious
use of
With an
influential friend at
Court
it
doubtless was
no
difficult
de
la
succour
page had accompanied him in his expedition to
in
Turks
of
the
the Venetians from the hands
Candia,
in which action the Due was cut to pieces. The fact that
Sebastien, the brother of Louise, fought in and died
shortly after this engagement, is supposed to have given
rise to this story.
Louise, it is further stated in the
retired
the care of a
Due
The Due is
receiving a pension from that nobleman.
said to have been first struck with the girl's beauty
in the Tuileries Gardens, who, by no means indifferent
'
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
78
to
Louvois and
viz.,
Dover with
On
a
son,
who
three
years
later
was
created
Baron
death of
la belle Stuart's
lapsed to the
'
Crown.
husband without
In August,
issue,
had
7, 8.
Petersfield,
79
Countess of
him
in
ferred
his alliance
on
her
Crown of
reverted to the
But
France.
bed of roses there were thorns objectionThe new Duchess was detested by the
ably obtrusive.
populace, notwithstanding the striking contrast between
in her
in
the
young
bewitched.
and
in
actress
.
his health
her
He
path
by
shares his
whom
the
attentions,
.
his
The
King
carries
is
she
proud as the Duchess of Portsmouth
faces
at
assails
and
often
makes
her,
her,
her,
wry
:
the
King
off
which she
points in
silly,
time,
actress
quite as
spites
is
bold,
from
is
her.
preferable
that she
is
that
young,
she can
she says,
'
of quality
'
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
80
she
is
related to
everybody
No
in France.
sooner does
Ah,
well
if
she
is
myself
it
is
he loves
profession
am
at present
his solely.
he shall
my
else.
anything
me
quite as well as
intend
will, for
On one of
burlesqued by Nell upon several occasions.
these, with the announcement of the decease of a prince
of the blood came the news of the death of the Cham
of Tartary,
who
the
witty
actress
declared
was
as
Roman
Catholic one,
is
illustrated
by the little incident at Oxford, when the mob surrounded Nell Gwyn's coach and insulted her, thinking
it
istic
coarseness
she
explained the
With
her character-
mistake, and
was
came
81
Philip, the
gomery, though
arguments at the sword's point. Contemporary documents showed him continually mixed up in
settling
some
"
quarrel.
Among
the Verney
"
uncle.
health of
afraid to
sit
;
my lord began a small
bottles, which Sir Francis refusing to
Vincent did
two
after
at last
is said,
pledge, dash went a bottle at his head and, as it
broke it. They being parted. Sir Francis was getting
into a coach, and alarm arising that my lord was
coming with
sword drawn.
his
Sir
Francis refused to
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
82
drew
Sir Francis,
knowing
in his defence."
the
adequate
provision
became
nation's
grievance
against
her
wife's
his
lying-in
as
The Duchess
of
person
quality.
threatened to complain to the King about her sister's
grievances, to which Pembroke rather ungallantly
replied that he would make an exhibition of the
Charing Cross,
The
by setting
her
on
her
head
at
Day
in carrying off
Lord North's
a service,
a
killed
watchman
market) by
(at
blow with
at
who had
set
This
1683.
pugilistic
His widow,
and lived
The
mouth
'
until 1725.3
luxurious apartments of the Duchess of Portsat Whitehall, who was sometimes alluded to as
Hist.
Ibid.,
p.
466.
7,
App.
See
p.
also
493.
Walpole's
" Anecdotes
of"
Jeffries,
the son
of
83
The
the Queen's.
Upon
woman's apartment,
down and
rebuilt to
furniture and
Here
accommodation.
had
wrought
tables,
plate,
stands,
out
all
chimney-furniture,
of massy silver and
paintings."
'
best
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
84
Ill-health,
the
usually does in
it
in her reception at
that of 1671.
His
to
To
add to her
way
to
London.
met with an
One
way
to mirth
of the
best
and indifference.
points
in
favour
of
Louise
de
other
like
85
for
this
Towards
On December
27th,
Lord Roos,
to her
now
she
said
discovers to
made
recovery.
The
knock
rake,
in the early
at
language
At
tell
might
fall
Her
12,
App.
wisest policy
pt.
ii.
p. 44.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
86
Monmouth
hand
until the
After a
to
visit
France
in
received with
all
who married
the
Charles at
Due de Vendome.
first
did not
take
much
notice of the
Am-
Upon
this
he
so long as the
name of
secret
'
"King Monmouth,"
pp. 67-89.
87
drew
the
Duke
solicitations
of the
chamber were
Protestant
of
out
place.
Bishops
in
the
death
which
England
in the year
it.
She was always pressing the King to
himself
both
and his people easy, and to come to
with
his parliament, and he was to
agreement
account of
make
a full
come
the next day after he fell into that fit of which he died.
She was put upon the secret, and spoke of it to no
Some
six
months
I
Burnet's "
Own
Time."
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
88
luxurious
" i
straw very scandalously
Owing to the carelessness of a servant a
!
fire
broke
water
her
kindly to the
Basset
table,
she
the fashionable
having taken
not
not to mention
" An
opera
When
June
William
21, 1688,
"
III.
Vcrncy Memoirs,"
vol. iv. p.
432,
Duke
ol
Richmond.
89
an inadequate
extravagant habits.
last
in
1686,
latter
still
attractive.
The
old Duchess
Her
son, Charles
in 1723,
aged
fifty,
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
90
When
royal father.
of Saint-Germain did not bring her Grace's hairs prematurely with sorrows to the grave.
The most
attractive portraits
we have
seen of the
and
portrait of her at
Goodwood shows
more
In
matronly in appearance.
Mignard's work, in the National Portrait Gallery, she
is far less beautiful
although her expression is amiable
older
her
(one
of
Varelst's
means
lovely, but
Hampton Court
at
portrait
also
is
by no
Charles
II. 's
maiden
in
reign.
Henrietta's
Blenheim, and
It
It is
Dunham
train.
At
Cirencester House,
was formerly supposed to represent the Countess of CastleS. G. Steinman describes it as such in his "Memoir"
maine, and
of her.
91
that
he
never
At Holland House
flattered.
there
also fine
paintings of the French mistress by
Gascar, Varelst, and a miniature by Dixon, and per-
are
this
is
historic mansion.
initials
it
It
was
a gift
is
of
JN "
ment
whom
of Richmond,
it
when Charles
rally
the
Oueen
not survive
had
that he
its
seriously
it
was gene-
contemplated
divorcing
said did
might marry
mistress
many
II.,
her),
hours.
it
is
The
effigy
of
the faded beauty and the stuffed bird are a curious pair
to contemplate when we think that this pet was probably present, passing the time with brief witticisms
its
mistress sat as
my
as well
done
as
ever
saw anything
93
in
my
whole
life,
think
and
a pretty thing
it
is,
We
learn
"
93
that
"
La
Belle
Stuart
was not a little proud of her graceful limbs.
" Miss Stuart is so convinced of the
advantages she
possesses over
all
" that
other vi^omen," he says,
it
is
Britannia
makes
a point
of revealing
this part
of her
attractions.
it
is
remarkable
this,
all
By
name was
'
nearly compromised, if
p.
400.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
94
what Pepys has to say about her.^ For all that Grarelates of her want of wit, she must have been
mont
a clever
and
is
inherited
account,
was
from her
one of the
known.
Her
is
not
first
Thomas,
first
tible
proposed to take her to England in her train he persuaded her mother to let her remain that he might
if
she stopped
The Queen-
their
Braganza,
only
'
to
fair
receive
in
that
position
more
95
The
on January 4, 1662
opportunity of writing to you
Henrietta wrote
King's
" I would not loose
this
know
to adorn a Court."
maine had
new
The Countess of
Castle-
sufficient tact
fancies, that is
is
narrated by Pepys
owing
be cooked
to
the
hostess's
the
hearing this
be roasted
if
on
unwelcome
would be
in
license
of
those days.
The Marquis de Ruvigny, on a visit to
the Court in 1663,
says she was one of the most
modest
all,
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
96
go for much.
Be sure never to talk to the King," was the maxim
of the beautiful and virtuous Mrs. Godolphin,
also a Maid of Honour to the Queen, who evidently
knew what constructions might be put upon a tete-aassociated
morally did
not
"
But
iete.
little
as her
made no
We
slight figure
all
hearts.
training in
;
97
By and by
the
hair dressed a
la
negligence)
it)
to take
She looked
her own gentleman.
a
had
and
of
out
humour,
yellow plume in her
mighty
hat (which all took notice of), and yet is very handtaken
down by
them up
followed
into
Whitehall,
But
was the
it
finest sight to
me, consider-
with her hat cocked and a red plume, with her sweet
eye, little
Roman
greatest beauty
'
The Roman
minster Abbey.
nose,i
and excellent
ever saw,
nose
is
taille, is
think, in
conspicuous in her
my
wax
now
life,
effigy at
the
and
if
West-
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
98
ever
least
woman
in
can,
this
changes, which
coldness to my
veriJy believe
Lady
is
Castlemaine."
The estrangement
at
score
mute admiration
in
(now
in
July
been reproduced
Memoirs."
15
and
in
the
August
author's
26,
5,
1663.
1664..
edition
is
at
Windsor,
i'K.\\ci':s
dressing-room
own
who watched
When
the
their
Conspicuous among these was his grace of Buckingham, who had a clever way of insinuation when it
suited his purpose to give his
The
the clever
it.
captivated
with
the
of mimicry.
way
in
their
to
Duke's
actor,
mind
seeing
that
they
their very
were the
into
fits
peculiarities of
noses without
victims,
sent
the
of merriment.
He
to
become
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
100
his services
Lord Sandwich
were no
Mrs.
of
Stewart
beauty's mother
the
for
as well as the
King,"
but the
Duke
condition
of the
Queen
is
much
worse,
and
the
it,
or dead."
Charles had
pathetic interview
disobeyed him
and however dangerous sudden impulses may be when one is between life and death,
this transport of joy which might have proved fatal
;
thank
life,
an effect
heaven
in
for
the
same
manner."
The French
101
Ambassador,
"
might succeed her.
wrote on November
despair of her
.
ist)
recovery (he
to
be deeply affected.
Well he supped none the less
yesterday with Madame de Castlemaine, and had his
usual talk with Mile. Stewart, of whom he is excess!
Until
the
remained
early
of the
part
as infatuated as ever
year
1667,
Charles
with "
La Belle Stuart,"
good name by discourag-
now
she had
title
come
Frequently
on dishonourable conditions, but
to the
wise conclusion
that
she
Merry Monarch.
Count Gramont
of her
rival,
Lady
says
it
Castlemaine, that
the
King
first
Jusserand's
p. 88.
" French
Ambassador at the Court of Charles II.,"
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
102
her
Stuart's apartments,
bowed and
out
humour.
If she
lover.
man
of
the
Duke's
honourable, she
must indeed be
of a gentleintentions were
visits
rank, whose
a
slave
in
free
She
apartments.
to
it,
103
he knew
Duke of Richmond's
the
disorder."
affairs
would be
It
interesting
particulars of the romantic elopement
The
imagination must
brief passage
to the Beare
to
were
in
know more
which followed.
of Pepys'
He (the Duke) by a wile did fetch her
at the Bridge foot where a coach was
fill
in
the details
"
ready, and they are stole away into Kent without the
^
This, the final assignation, was more
King's leave."
She
is
said
minster.
above was a well-known hostelry (besides a trystingplace for lovers) on the Southwark side of London
Jesse says they
Bridge, which was pulled down in 1 76 1
fled on horseback into Surrey, where they were married
.
tavern. 2
Cobham Hall
if this
dining-room of
^
Diary, April
3,
this
historic
building
may
be
seen
1667.
on March
20,
1666-67
(see also
March
18).
104
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
He
of Lennox, was related to the King.
title in 1660 when in his twentieth year,
but he cut rather an insignificant figure at Court, as he
third
Duke
succeeded to the
lacked the talent and brilliancy of Rochester, Buckingham, and other fashionable rakes, for which reason
contemplated
a separation
to
a divorce,
which they
step
is
HARl.KS srUAKl,
DUKK OF RICHMOND
105
King
certainly
Clarendon's
suspecting
spoke to
and
for
that
in
this
design,
As
is
well
known
the
Lord Chancellor's
The
seal
disgrace
was delivered
her
'
resolution
of
retirement.
We
also Burnet's
have
Evelyn's
"Own
Time."
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
106
pass as to resolve to
a year that
in honour
for
was come to that pass that she could not
longer
continue at Court without
prostituting herself to the
^1,500
it
whom
King
liberty
off,
though he had
as to dalliance.
to have,
upon the occasion she had given the world to think her
a bad woman, and that she had no
way but to marry
and leave the Court, rather in this way of discontent
than otherwise, that the world
might see that she
and that she will
sought not anything but honour
never come to live at Court more than when she
;
The
King's ill-humour
beauty was
received back his
of
at the loss
no means
this
assuaged when he
of
His feeling of
presents
jewellery he had given her.
indignation at the time is expressed in a letter dated
by
August 26,
may
'
think
1667,
me
to
his
sister
ill-natured," he says,
1667.
Henrietta.
*'
but
if
"You
you con-
OI'
Kl( IIM(iNi)
how hard
done by
you
person
will in
towards her
beleeve that
thing
'tis
to
107
swallow an
injury
could not
great provocation.
me has been as
make
be so severe
if I
had not
assure
bad
pardon me
if I cannot so soon
forgett an injury which went so
neere my hart." Time, however, mends all
grievances,
and half a year sufficed to soften his feelings of resent-
faith can
it,
therfore
hope you
will
Duchess
herself.
Duke
made
objected,
Three months
later
we
smallpox.
The
in
the
malady,
must confesse
made me
pardon
all
it,
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
108
having a blemish in
it,
but
now
is
past."
It
was
is
King
month
in this
"
after
Our
from
was considerably worse than
pox.
Her Grace by
this
it
was owing
to the small-
overacting their
when the Queen and
By
their
eccentric
dialect
'
Pepys,
May
drew
19, 1668.
crowd around
Presently
Queen was
the
109
so the
recognised,
by
Townshend's Norfolk
hear
how
Duke
the
seat,
Raynham
Hall.
We do not
upon
mark.
Here he
mouth,
in
a "sleeveless
errand" to Den-
when
The Duchess
August, 1675.
interest in the
Cobham
there was a
estate to
rumour
sold her
Lord O'Brien
life
in 1677,
was secretly
No such union,
married to the Earl of Mulgrave.
however, ever took place.
Mulgrave probably courted
the handsome widow as he did many other ladies,
including
the
Princess
Anne
the
Another
(afterwards
admirer was
year
commoner named
Vice-Chamberlain to Queen
'
before
" Select
Ive's
Papers,"
her
rumoured he was
p. 39.
How
Anne), who
110
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
publicly
boasted
received.
who
is
said to
Dutch
Duchess
Her demands
principally in Jermyn Street.
to those
were
a
contrast
the
striking
privy purse
upon
of her rapacious rival. Seven hundred pounds was her
^
lived
wards reduced to
six
She
^^as present at the Coronation of Queen Anne.
died on the fifteenth of October following, declaring
her faith in the Roman Catholic Church.
Having no
issue,
the bulk
of her property
nephew Alexander,
the fifth
Lord
Blantyre,
the
re-
On
its
f.
111
cats.
The Duchess
ment as his
Richmond.
ancestor,
Lodowick
Stuart,
monu-
Duke of
Ben Jonson
her
stole
hall to get
were
left
to
Lord Blantyre.
descended to Mr.
IN pointed
out what
is
no doubt
Mrs.
a mistake in
Jameson's work, viz., that the portrait engraved to represent the Duchess is that of Mary^ Bagot, daughter of
Colonel
Dorset,
the
of
Court
set
painter's original
Beauties," eleven in number, by James
of
II. 's
form one
" Windsor
catalogue.
named,
Kensington
the
reign
Museum
of George
there
is
I.
In
the
South
is
Countess
Judging by
'
Ilcr
Christian
name
is
often given as
error.
n2
Elizabeth, which
is
an
MAKV
IIACOT. COITNTKSS
OF KAl.MOrill
more
is
faces
of
all
in
113
There
the self-
was
contrast.
great
Few of
his
contemporaries
who
truly
had done
to be caustic, as
Falmouth
oppose
marriage of the
Chancellor's daughter with the King's brother
by
"
He was
circulating scandalous stories about her, says,
one in whom few other men (except the King) had ever
his
best
the
to
King and
his brother.
closest
When
companionship with
he was killed in the
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
114
" I thank
to his favourite sister on June 8th
God,"
" we have now the
newes
of a
Charles,
says
certayne
see
considerable
over
Duch
will
the
very
victory
you
:
most of the
will
my Lord
Hollis
It
possible in a good frinde, poore C. Barckely.
troubles me so much, as I hope you will excuse the
'tis
it
were
afloat that
the
Henry Jermyn,
lady
killer,
was
official
capacity as
Maid of Honour
to the
Duchess
ago.
(in
"
Deptford)
with all the great
'
"
Duke
ladies, sitting
Madame," by
of
York and
upon
a carpet
13uchess,
on the
115
'
my Lady
Castlemaine, were
very witty."
When
the
Duke
of
York
wife,
it
was
is
so great as to lead
him
to
Charles
marry her."
1674,
brown
hair.
Another
come
her
into the
first
lord,
new
from
just
now
'
caread
me
hand and to be
116
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
^
laday of the bad chamber."
the Grand Monarque was this
What new
favourite of
beauty it may be
sure, for Dorset otherwise would not have troubled his
head about her.
?
the
first
in every way.
Like Falmouth he had sown his wild
oats somewhat lavishly, but by now had settled down,
and was universally beloved for his generous and
was so much
ill
nature in a pen as in
his,
joined with so
He
Which
he would use
Drinking
The Countess
all
in
all
in
way,
the day."
Withyham
age of
Church, near
at the
Northampton,
Ill-.\kli;i
ll(i\l,K,
COUNTKSS OK ROCHKSIKK
117
Her
whose
story
his legitimacy.^
There has
of
portraits
been
considerable
three
the
beauties,
confusion
the
over
wife
the
of John
As
the latter,
we have engraved
In the
wife, has
make
herself envied
Jermyn
to
" Mrs.
in favour of
whom
Jermyn.
she loved
by
sister-
"
King Monmouth,"
p. 88.
man
own
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
118
on account of Jermyn,
From
hands
may be
feet.
Her expression
That of her
Chinese.
sister-in-law,
the Countess of
It
dates
Of
Her
7,
at Althorp,
and
arc neither of
them
beautiful.
119
home
circle
as
and
all
Councillor
Privy
at
Chancellor's
likened in
of Brutus."
in
brother
Clarendon
title
Henry, who
in
had
succeeded
to
to
their
the
royal
showed
Pepys' Diary,
November
19, 1667.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
120
My
their friends
had been
it
sufficient to
The wives of
make Evelyn's
these
two
daughter,
and accomplished
girl
twentieth year.
famous
diary.
2
heartstrings were wrung.
The young Countess of Ossory
is
how
cruelly the
Lady
Kildare,3
who had
died
Jameson's
portrait
girl
Hi:\kii;irA honlk,
countkss ok rochhstkr
121
"Sister, is it
shortly before, muffled up in a hood.
"
" What makes
?
she
cried
out.
you
you come in this
"
"
manner ?
Don't be frightened, for 1 come on a
" It is to tell
serious
affair," replied the spectre.
very
you
that
you
will die
very soon."
'
What
face
Lord
Clonmore, and
Francis
Of
these,
Sir
Fopham.
Lord Hinchinbrooke bid
fair
to be the
competed for
What
they
Jameson,
p.
206.
122
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
were worth
dangerous
at
forcible means.
On May
home by
armed men.
women
unknown
destination.
off^
The
pace to some
himself was not
at a brisk
Earl
to the
imagined the madcap Earl had lost his last chance, but
Miss Malet perhaps secretly enjoyed this mediasval
sort of romantic courtship.
In any case, in the following year Pepys
tells
my
is
123
quite broke
Scarcely six
little
delightful
that Rochester eventually was rewarded for his pains
" Soon as
dined, my wife and I went to the Duke's
:
playhouse,
play, to
extraordinary content
my
full,
'
Heraclius,'
;
an excellent
among
and
his lady,
it
Lord John
The Countess
much in London
at her
houses
my
Duke
Butler, the
in
'
February
4,
1666-67.
Adder-
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
124
Bertie says,
Mary
1672, Lady
"Lady
in June,
Rochester kept
We
it
by dancing sixteen dances after supper, and
because the weather was hot, we danced some of them
cluded
in the fore-court,
The
the hall,"
between.
" Run
wife
The
his visits
following letter
is
characteristic
away
it
and
an
is
modest man
a prey to
of deliverance,
so
to
you
to
woman,
till
ance in glory."
The Countess
you
too
my
much
you
since
last letter
will
will
make
it
my
for
my own
after
fight
mother-like,
son's foibles
leniently,
differences.
Curiously
at Ditchley (her
first
and took
treated
his side in
gallant
Charles
her
rake
domestic
as her
daughter-
in-law
and
125
Scarcely
compliment to the
St.
latter
lady, as
John, looks
Anne,
here
an
may have
We may here
more pleasing
expression
than
her mother-in-law.
'
it is
easy to misjudge from outward appearances,
and that her disposition was not as sweet as it might
have been, we may gather from another letter of her
erring husband, which was as follows
Still
*'
My
Wife,
The
ship do increase so
^
in
upon me and
are
grown
so
difficulties
fast
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
126
numerous, that to a
to give
it
that
it
less
you may,
constant
to
resolutions
confess there
is
over,
attempt it more
not to multiply
man
it
you
satisfy
nothing will so
assistance in this as
to put
you
much
me
out of
my
can.
contribute to
my
me
trust me
for
in
all
them.
At
a distance
am
likeliest to learn
your mind,
you have not a very obliging way of delivering it
by word of mouth if, therefore, you will let me know
the particulars in which I may be useful to you, I will
show my readiness as to my own part and if I fail of
for
the success
wish,
it
shall
The
Earl's
fourteen, in
There
is a
very fine portrait of the little fellow in one
of the dining-rooms at Hinchinbrooke, in which he
inherits more of his mother's beauty than a resemblance
good example
127
*'
Dear child, learn your book,
you," he wrote to him.
and be obedient, and you shall see what a father I will
be to you."
His three daughters, Anne, Mallet, and
married
Elizabeth,
respectively Lord Broke, Viscount
Lisburne, and the Earl of Sandwich, the last being the
son of the Countess of Rochester's old admirer, Lord
Hinchinbrooke.
LUCY WALTER
who have pondered
but effeminate
THOSE
Monmouth
Duke of
is
unmistakable, but
Now,
upper
lip
like the
brow and
Duke of Monmouth.
little
in
history,
commands our
it
interest
is
true,
figures
but a character
when we consider
who
that there
is
was Monmouth's
James
II.
is
father.
very clear
and straightforward
19b
in
his
].Vr\
WALTER
LUCY WALTER
129
Welsh
Lucy
girl,
first
to
Whether or not he
his brother.
in
movements
became
The
that
when
far
interested
in
her
his mistress.
that
at the
Hague
at the
September, 1648, says "she was born of a gentleman's family in Wales, but having little means and less
in
Lucy
left
England, the
latter
dying
The
in
1650, and
probability
is
that
nie Prothero,
St.
Dutch merchant of
to
whether
this
aunt
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
130
*'
On
to the King.^
This
some eight or
fortress.
It
"
is
first
saw
this
in September, 1648.
'
James implies
Hague, early
that he there heard
vol.
i.
p.
76.
C'Ol.OXKI,
kOllKkT SlDM-.V
LUCY WALTER
131
remembered
be
the
that
acknowledged to be
1649 one of the
his
facts
son
King afterwards
the
Charles
first
assertion,
he
may have
little
doubt
that
James
young
the son
of Colonel Sidney.
He, as well as James, speaks of
" When he
the likeness between them.
grew to be a
latter,
" he
very
much resembled
the
still
in his teens
when welcomed
at
Hague
mid-September, 1648, had long since
taken his degree as a thorough man of the world. The
companionship of the profligate Buckingham and many
the
in
'
"King Monmouth,"
p. 5.
vol.
i.
p,
76.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
132
is
Giacomo
Stuart,
he
that
declared
who
died
in
headed the
children of the
that in
the
tells
in
us
the
removed from
To
return to
all
fully believed
but there
some
is
sort of
later.
However
this
may have
been, if
we take
into
Holland
it
at
ix.)
LUCY WALTER
came
133
over him
Lucy
Henry Pomeroy,
union at Liege.
at
least
House, Fife
is
so
still
to be seen at Dysart
" Sir
werr so to."
As
is
well
known,
at
the
and
certain
black
box
the
marriage cer-
containing
this
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
134
documentary proof
in 1672 had been
at the
Duke
in
left
"
same day
King
certified in the
married to any
woman
his
vol.
iii.
p.
384-S5.
CHAkl.KS
II
LUCY WALTER
135
the
the
in
Some time
Orange, writing
"
and
to her brother about his " wife
(a term that she
the
Queen-mother
Lucy Walter),
says
I
her humble duty to you, which is all shee can say.
tell her 'tis because she thinks of another husband, and
you
was another gay spark. Colonel Thomas Howard
(a
century
we
136
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
till
extraordinary
to
return
ing
Mr. Ghysens
at
her
son gone,
ableness
of her
condition,
yet suffered
not grief to
for
the
providing
horses,
which
being
ready,
she
to
LUCY WALTER
137
taking boat for the Heauge ; those that were with her
advised her to make her application to him, as the
likeliest
person to
assist her,
telling
'
will
do
it,'
said
'
she,
no
charges,'
they
resided for
some time."
'
"An
Historical
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
138
O'Neale.
1656, he says:
"I am much
troubled
to
see
the
idle
Certain
stage."
disclosures
made by
midwife had
bribery, for
attack with a
to
murderous
"
It
were well
if
your Majestie
owen
will
Duke
of
positive
disowned
watched her
groom of
"
complains that Lord Taaffe
interests,
This
is
very
the bedchamber
hir
tells
your Majestie
has nothing more in consideratione than hir sufferings,
and that the next monny you can gett or borrow shall
be sent to supply
hir.
Whyle your
Majestie incourages
vol.
i.
p.
684.
u
D
LUCY WALTER
139
Lucy
Howard.
pounds.
Lodgings
spy.
Upon
England
examination
to look after
she
said
some money
she had
come to
After the
detention
in Flanders,
fresh
disturbances.
Howard
this
time was
'
2nd
series, vol,
iii.
p.
352.
140
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
wound
in his house,
and
escaped,
but
Lucy objected
to this
The
not at
length
redeem
in
if
return
to
them
in
reference
to
her
child,
since
will
as an injury to him.
It
making
a property
LUCY WALTER
141
and
wild
King may
but if he cannot
ordinary compliance with his desires
to
his directions,
of
have the child disposed
according
;
a close prisoner in
Lucy,
Ambassador's house, agreed to comply to these
wishes so long as Slingsby or O'Neale should not have
the
do with
failed to
force.
with
is
tantalising
gon
possibly
'
in
connection
with
the
ceremony
71.
Bishops
who were
1688.
in
marriage
sent
to
the
Tower
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
142
the King's
Once
found a careful
foster-mother
in
Oueen Henrietta
had
liaison
in
a great
assumed
he
forward
time
as his guardian,
the
and from
name of James
Crofts.
Of
his half-sister
Mary
upon
very
little
is
known.
One
Eng-
brought
up under
that
Mary's
arrival in the
first
her
it
is
his
care.^
Notwithstanding
world was the cause of the
one of the
many examples of
made her an allowMonmouth's character
ance.
that
It is
also a
good
trait in
State Papers,
Dom.
Charles
II., vol.
434.
LUCY WALTER
143
at
Lucan
upon
her.
of lands
settled
that a
suitable
jointure might be
to
Charles
Catholic
The
who
II.,
faith,
fell
pair
appointment,
in
upon
and his
evil
brought
Fanshawe
days.
lost
up.
his
"
"
wife's
Roman
bounty
got into
most of the pensions of " the Merry
In a letter from Mary to the Secretary of
Monarch."
After the
King's
death
we
find
Mary and
her
husband again
sum from
the
Queen of William
herself in
more
Secret
III.,
Service
liberal,
presenting
Fund, but
with
in
the
interested
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
144
became
difficulties
He
widower
His
1707.
will, bearing
be
interred at
body might
" sister of
Barking, by the side of his beloved wife,
the late Duke of Monmouth."
By her first husband
who
sons,
Anne Dorothy,
who married a barrister named Mathews, and Lucy
The
Catherine, who was buried at Barking in 1705.
son, Thomas Edward, of Great Singleton, Lancashire,
time was a volunteer in Her Majesty's
at this
There
were
two
other
daughters,
Fleet. I
To
return to
the
town
royal favour
at
authorities
her beloved son, the
who
as it
probably did not stand long upon ceremony,
that
was only out of consideration for Charles
they
In any case, she was
had not got rid of her before.
abandoned herself
living in Paris, having, says James,
to a vicious way of living when her brief career came
to an end.
'
The
diarist
Evelyn,
father's death.
is
who had
frequently
AMI.S.
DLKK OK MONMOUTH
LUCY WALTER
U5
Germain,
her.
in
there are
Though
still
representatives of other
of the
of Rhosmarket.
Sir
in
1727) was
fact that
has
been
confused
and described
as
broadly
of
but
"
5,
6.
U6
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
royal brewer.^
Lucy's elder brother Justus,
described as of the Temple, did not live to see the
Restoration.
It was he who
joined his sister on her
the
to
way
England
in
1656.
Of
Samborne,
of
Axe Yard.
Kiffiana
Gosfright,
at
She survived
this
second
a brother of
Rouen, who
(possibly
town
arrived
from
Samborne
in
that
in
provided
3
despatches to the Queen-mother in Paris.
'
The above
p.
188.
by
MARS
lU'.A
KU
1-^
I-.
MARY OF MODENA
anti-Popish demonstrations on Guy Fawkes
of
day
1673 were more marked than usual owing
" This
to James, Duke of York's, second
marriage.
THE
" the
night," says Evelyn,
youths of the city burnt
the Pope in
effigy, after they had made procession
with
in
it
Duke
the
great
for
triumph,
altering
his
being displeased at
religion and marrying an
they
Italian lady."i
Mary
to
much
the
Then
The
*
am
a married
Earl of Peterborough,-
Earl
ob. 1697.
147
who
of
Peterborough,
b.
1621,
148
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
proxy, had at
satisfactory
last
brought his
difficult
mission to a
While reporting
conclusion.
the
upon
the
of
Marshal
in
London.
thirteen
to
Their
thirty,
respective
was
of
ages,
ranging
from
consequence, but
connoisseur in female
little
The
brought from the Continent for Henry VIII.
selected wife was far and away the prettiest of all, but
was very averse to have a husband, and his lordship's
But there were
advances at first seemed hopeless.
Rome
had
husband,
who went
to
Dover
to receive her.
He
had
fifteen.
MARY OF MODENA
149
When
*'
for
her,
the
following day."
and
all
that afternoon
and
the unhappiest
fortnight later,
moons she was hurried off to Holland.
bride was inconsolable at
the
of honey-
The young
thought of having to
the
no notice of
to
see
her
at
St.
James'
the
nor came
day preceding
that
both
these
turned
unhappily,
than the two
somewhat
blase,
out.
scarcely an ideal
" She
wife as Mary D'Este.
was," says Peterborough,
"
tall, and admirably shaped ; her complexion was of
the last degree of fairness, her hair black as jet; so
were her eyebrows and her eyes, but the latter so full of
and sweetness, as they did dazzle and charm too.
light
MS.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
150
that
be
great
cheerful,
obliging, the
new Duchess
The
We
"
much
is
other day, and ran away quick into her closet and he
She hath
after her, but she durst not open the doore.
also great pleasure in one of those sledges which they
call Trainias, and is pulled up and downe the ponds in
Griffin,
'
as also the
MorJaunt Genealogies.
Strickland's
^
Lady
"Ouecns of England,"
Russell's Letters.
M \KN
UK
MR UK DKSTK
MARY OF MODENA
151
have forgot." ^
Undignified as these frolics were the
Duchess's position was much more so when, returning
I
from
the
She used to
was her chosen companion.
with
and
when
she was
her,
play romping games
indisposed she would sit by her bedside the whole
naturally
day and amuse her with her pranks. The old Marquis
de Rouvigny, writing to Monsieur de Pomponne in
1676, was shrewd enough to observe that upon these
occasions the King's kindly visits to his sister-in-law
were more for the purpose of meeting the beautiful
three and
it
playmate Queen
of England,
is
"
haughty humour," she writes to her sister Mary, and
though she pretends to hate all form and ceremony, yet
one sees that those who make their Court that way, are
'
Hist.
Ibid., pt.
ii.
p. 52.
12,
App.
pt.
ii.
p. 34.
152
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
of.
with
it.
she can to
all
undo everybody,
"One
thing
is,
that
she is
sorts of people ;
for everybody believes that she presses the King to be
more violent than he would be himself, which is not
all
used to have.
kindness for
me
see proofs of
it,
But we
Dalrymplc's Memoirs,
" Memoirs ot" the Stuarts,"
vol.
ii.
p.
174;
c|UOtcJ
in
Jesse's
MARY OF MODENA
Her
tiveness.
153
Sidney."
On
pass
He
other
friends,
whose sufferings
when
sick
she
was
not
does
express
his
opinion
quite
as
candidly
as
Princess Anne.
plays the hypocrite more than
ever," she writes; '*for she is at church half an hour
"Lady Sunderland
before other people come, and half an hour after everybody is gone, at her private devotions. She runs from
"
vol.
i.
p. Ixii.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
154
matched
as she
To
return to James
II, 's
tells
Her
husband's
infidelities
position.
II.
had
his mistresses
In 1680
thorn
it
1686,
the
passed the
Queen took
it
"
good humour."'
'
Evelyn's
Whether
Diary.
the Countess
ANNh:
i>i(;i;\.
coL'xrKss ok
su\iI':ri,.\\I)
MARY OF MODENA
155
a captive to
insulted
so that
by
this interview
up from
bravery, and was
rose
is
Tower." 3
But
it
painful occasion.
letter praying for her intercession,4 but in
all
probability
doubt was
soured by ill-health
in a great
Hist.
For
12,
"King Monmouth,"
App.
of
particulars
p.
her
pt.
ii.
325.
p. 103.
retirement,
Own
Time."
vide
vol.
" Secret
iii.
p.
432.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
156
The
when
at last
To
played.
the notorious
Frederick
James
Edward and
his
son,
the
Prince,"
"
Bonny
Even six
a daughter,
years
the anti-Catholics were quite prepared to circulate a
This is proved by a curious consimilar fabrication.
temporary document.
"If
it
his
hammer it into
Duchess of York was not
intelligences,
to
I
would have the
confessing the daughter.
impression of this cheat sink so far into the heads and
mask
in
hearts of
all
gotten.
occasion."
The
MARY OF MODENA
157
suspected of such imposition naturally raised her disHer explanation was that she "scorned to satisfy
gust.
those
who could
Little
generous nature.
The anecdote
with James's views.
of
as
Duchess
related that one day,
York, refusing to
in accordance
down
is
sit
table
upon
several
occasions
when
in
very
of health, had insisted rather in sharing
her husband's misfortunes than studying her own comprecarious state
forts.
When
Hampton
The disturbances,
obtaining a vessel at Portsmouth.
and
the
mistrust
the King had
in
the
town,
however,
^
Lady
Russell's Letters.
Jesse's
3
158
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
of those
English nobles
who remained
loyal,
upset
these plans.
Preserving strict secrecy, James next
called into his service for the transmission of the
Montpensier.
schemes had
But
been
his
cooled
gallantries
by
and
ambitious
" La Grande
prisonment, and
outgrown her infatuation, the romance of which had
acceptable one.
Only at the last
of the
plan
she
moment was
carry her to
that she might
to
implored
husband's troubles.
him by James,
the
a very
Queen apprised
With tears
France.
in readiness,
hour or so
a hurricane
after
AXNK
MARY OF MODENA
150
a coach.
when
of mind to stumble,
as if accidentally,
up against him,
was ex-
At
managed
last
little
Marquis of Dangeau
who
and even
M.
de Lauzun,
who
King of England
to poinard
him
in case
he should wish
There are several versions of the story. Pere Orleans says the
Queen waited for the coach under shelter of the walls of Lambeth
'
Church.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
160
and
Lord Powis
he reached France.
We
warm
the
etiquette
of the occasion.
Marie D'Este,
like
Henrietta
and
James's abdication is
said to have exerted herself in the Stuart cause more
interested in politics,
after
dreadfully
His mis-
MARY OF MODENA
many of
unwise
actions,
Of
in
161
1680, there
in
a portrait
is
by Lely
in
the Private
at Hampton Court,
representing the little
with
a
wreath
of
flowers
on
her head and her
lady
hands fondling a lamb.
Of the Princess Louisa Maria
Dining-room
Theresa,
at
is
a portrait at St.
she
is
St.
Henry
Stuart,
although
Sir
characteristic language
father.
in his
Got,
cannot be mistaken.
moder's, the
Persons,"
vol.
Oueen
ii.
that was."
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
162
daughter
There
are
in existence.
melancholy
numerous
Grande Bretagne
^
There
face,
portraits
la
is
inspired poets
when
she
first
made
The
plate
was given
to the
Meyrick.
2
We do not refer to the
III.'s
Presence Chamber.
full
full
length by Kneller
liAKKAKA
ll.l.lKkS,
PROBABLY
painted so
VilJiers,
whom
of
enthusiastic.
We
much
the
as
Barbara
fascinating
so
that excellent
do
of
not,
gossip, Pepys, is
course, allude to her
slightly
passe^
but
to the
the
many
ancestral
mansions
indifferent,
until
the
either
features
favourite.
artists,
of
this
luxurious
life,
Lady
good and
or
creature
copied
must
lesser-known
163
164
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
But the
painter's
many of
only weak
his
faces
probably
when
lies in
flattery
We
can picture
visit
to the
He
he should not be
at
go
to dinner
leisure
pomp
these
his table
three weeks
was
laid for
and
himself
pictures,
saw
the so
much
the
Lilly's,
in
thing
my life." The
copper-plate was not completed then (Nov. 7, 1666),
but a month later Pepys paid him another visit, and
went home in the highest spirits with " three of my
Lady Castlemayne's heads."
colours
One
finest
encounters
innumerable
this
characters
'
ever saw in
seventeenth-century syren
:
as
shepherdess,
as
in
St.
165
Magdalen, as a
Madonna, as Venus pure and simple, and many other
And now, having prefaced her importance,
disguises.
as
Catherine,
let
Britannia,
as
Mary
Duke
Edward
of Buckingham's
third
siege of Bristol, and upon his
desperate attempt to capture the fort he received his
death-wound. Among the portraits of his contem-
King
the
at
collected
poraries
by
his
described,
The Lord
Lord
friend.
to
us
much
Clarendon,
as he is
Duke
who had
title,
according to Count
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
166
which
hair,"
He
now
ture
Montagu House.
at
same time.
fickle
nature
recounting this
^
years was banished from the Court.
Killigrew
His
lordship,
of
in
fact
incautiously
his
after
in
seat
1656:
"
Madam,
Cruelty
thought the
most
as
temper
and
absence
mine, and
yet
infallible
I
find
both
of them
so
ineffectuall
that
love,
your
hundered miles distance
but
why doe
least
man
of
at a
complaine of
Rep.
App.
p.
485.
1666
MSS. Com.
167
idea
you
less
" For
if
Faling
And
It
is
Judging from
at
am
women
better than
love
all
day
a letter that
loved
my
think might
besides
nothing
though you should
your
hate
mee
selfe.
selfe,
nor will
but
ever,
if
you should, I
would never give you the trouble of telling you how
much I loved you, but keep it to my selfe till I had
broke
my
hart."
"
:
It is
ever
my
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
168
hope the
about
faits
five
may
a clock
if
you
be
will
me
see
you
at
your private
will endeavour to
who
fell at
Worcester
jealous, does
My
how
to have your
deserve
this
were
in
now
for
(1657),
the
at
Butler's shop,
found to
sent to
my
Windsor, and
I
sayes that you are the occation of it.
hear that the having a kindness for you
it.
the
am
is
The
world
sorry to
so great a
discourses
make mee
a little
169
being with you the last night has made me doe nothing
but dream of you, and my life is never
pleasant to mee
but when I am with you or talking of you."
Two
Roger
years
after
this
union
to her old
clearly
show
" Since I
saw you," she says, " I have
compromised.
been at home, and I find the mounser
[presumably her
husband]
in
a very
ill
humour,
is
And
the following
"
:
as whilst
My
Dear
I live.
life, I
Yours, &c."
have been
this
ill,
desperat
dition,
to
and
have
thoughts of
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
170
day and
if I
last
am
me
is
desire to
words
for there
I
I
will live
The smallpox
had
killed
he should
i
adversary, rendered it advisable that
His correkeep in seclusion for a time.
his
months afterwards,
for
Barbara's
letter
referring
to
According
Palmer and
wife
Jesse,^
1659 to join
England
the Court of the exiled King in the low countries
his
left
in
the
"Memoirs of
p. 183.
in
Paris, joined
1855
ed.,
vol.
ill.
tniiiiiiiiiili
BARl'.AKA
ll.l.II'.KS,
COl'N'iK.SS
OF CASTI.KMAl \K
on
therefore
have
his
way
seems
not
induced
her
might be near
Be
infatuated.
met, for
Dover
to
in
spouse
the
lover
1660.
May,
Barbara
that
improbable
171
It
may
it
as
this
it
My
her,
from
"
my
my
journey, and
am
sure
it
will love
nobody
else better
than
rejoicings,
and for
the
King on
May
July
when
13th,
^
at
Burnet's
29th.
Countess
his
"Own
noble
Time,"
The
diarist's
of Castlemaine
patron's
first
is
lodgings
vol. i. p. 94.
on
in
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
172
King
Street,
letters
Madame
the
Palmer, a pretty
woman
there with
fancy to."
In 1 66 1
and
designs,
facilitated Barbara's
The
ex-lover makes
His
passionate appeals against being banished.
tion is unbearable owing to her displeasure.
desires only to live
remain unanswered.
speak to
him he
she
If
will
town
all
neither
new
many
afflic-
He
his letters
write
nor
for ever.
There,
however, was no response, so his lordship had to seek
solace in temporary retirement, or, what was more
likely,
among
figure
at
his
other
lady
husband, who
Barbara's
must
friends.
have cut
This
a
year
pitiable
The
and
Baron
Limerick.
Our
173
and
filled his
eyes
ing
in
the
Countess.
King
in
high as ever.
not, however, be thought that the Queen
submitted to this slight without a struggle, nor that
It
as
must
woman, Mary
sister
Villiers,
of George, second
Her
kins-
'
Townshcnd heirlooms
at Christie's.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
174
pared her to her face with Jane Shore, and hoped she
would come to the same end.^ Returning late one
night
from a
visit
to
the Duchess of
York
at
St.
little
page, three masked men suddenly made their appearance and, says Cominges, the French Ambassador, who
relates the encounter,
and
The King
she fainted.
But of
all
will
had
to
support the
woman whom
he
despised
and
ignored.
1
p. 91.
II.,"
175
The
the
champion
of
one whose
character
had
the
name of
Countess
the
household,
she
from
the
list
of her
new
who hoped
Charles,
the rest.
The Queen
the
before."
company
^
removed
retired
and
may
think that
maine of
'
my
wife's
p.
i68.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
176
it
be only to myself
moment of my
will be his
enemy
to the last
life."
And
rival
upon
a friendly
footing.
mid-July,
the
King's
attentions,
but
to
difference
of
Charles
Southampton
Fitzroy,
in
who was
Duke of Cleveland
Roman Catholic, had
in
The
1709.
the child
Duke of
created
his
brother as
father
baptized by
being
a priest,
but some days after (June 18, 1662) the mother had
the ceremony performed again at St. Margaret's, WestTheir first child, Anne, born February 25,
minster.
whom,
says
Colonel Edward
Villicrs.
l!Akl;.\RA \11.I.IKRS,
COUNTKSS OF CASTLEMAINK
much both
in face
and person
177
^
but,
Our
Court.
he put off his hat, and she made him a very civil salute,
but afterwards took no notice one of another
but
;
both of them
now and
One
common
on
his hat
Burnet's "
Own
Time."
178
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
wind
ofF.
But methlnks
else
everything
About
this
do."
it
as
'
Maid of Honour
having
full
befriended
Charles's
little
to
Queen Catherine.
confidence in her
this
on
superior attractions,
attentions
later
own
The Countess
than
that
otherwise,
had
she
only to find
dangerous
rival.
new
all
sides the
to be his. 3
'^
created
vol.
as
p. 270.
179
annoyance.
Privately, however, they were on familiar
terms.
Charles supped regularly at her new apart-
Fitzroy,
September
5,
diarist regrets
the decline.
who
In
1664.
that
Little
Stuart meanwhile,
who
is
on
then was
her
resentment
Mrs. Scrope,
at
Barbara,
presided.
being left
" She
out in the cold, grew haughty and malicious.
runs great risks," remarked the French Ambassador,
Courtin,
"
finest rose
if
her
anger
lasts
she
may
well
lose
the
on her hat."
There were
umberland), born December 28, 1665.
more quarrels and reconciliations in 1666.
The
that
her
took
Queen meekly complained
royal spouse
cold returning so late from the Countess's residence.
The
Married
at the
the insinuation by
go elsewhere, where-
of"
Lichfield.
180
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
The disgrace,
to quit the Court.
however, was but temporary, for when she sent from
upon she was ordered
her
come and
she
inspect them, whereat
In that winter ^30,000 was
paid out of the privy purse to settle her debts, for the
large income she received was in no way adequate
to her reckless
extravagance, not to mention the vast
sums which melted at the basset table. In 1679 the
Earl of Essex
fell
As
much
lost as
the
tells
as
Little
disbursing.
us that she was known to
^
in
affection
King's
She had
tyranny over him held him in subjection.
now become imperious and vindictive, and the easygoing monarch upon one occasion is said to have gone
down on
get a
We
time of the
"
fall
saddened
his fall."
air
The
certainly designed in
and that when he
'
Hist.
my Lady
Castlemayne's chamber
7,
App.
p.
477.
Monday
181
woman brought
her
prompted by
jealousy.
the Earl of
Duke
St.
her
affections.
ladyship's
promiscuous amours
it
a higher
command over
mistress,
for
command
was
him."
certainly
ledge.
she
For
^
is
strange
the King than ever
scorns
4
Notwithstanding these
to find her " in
Her
not
as
than
he cared to acknowgreater
reason the French Ambassador,
this
Ibid.,
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
182
who had
Colbert,
agent,
XIV.,
her
view
in
as
useful
political
diplomatist, Louis
on Madame
gifts are lavished
suggested to that
that " if handsome
clever
may
contrary, we
and take
bad
it
in
He
part.''^
also
the
On
titles
ampton, and
her.
upon
In
February, 1670-71,
MSS.
that her
Grace was
we
learn
conspicuous at Court.
still
At
" in a riche
a great ballet her charms were displayed
petticoat and halfe skirte, and a short man's coat very
her hat and
richly laced, a perwig cravatt and a hat
maske was very rich."- In the spring of this year
:
she drove in the parks with eight horses and the town
Her residence was now
said there were to be twelve. 3
'
'
3
MS.
Hist.
Hist.
St.
James's,
I?.,
7,
App.
App.
pt. v. vol.
p.
489.
ii.
p. 2-^.
llARl'.AkA
ll.l.lKRS,
IIKR SON.
in
About
Cleveland Row.
183
a pathetic
emblem of
the
past.
'*
Madam,"
came to town
up towards heaven.
interpreted by some that tears are the
which that place
is
to be assaulted
but
This may be
best arms with
my meaning
in
it
other.
hope
gave
"
'
still
hath
too
much
gravity to
since
;
many years agoe your ladyship
occasion to repeate these two lines
appear gallant
me
this
By
the Test
Act of March
"
{sic).^
Bedchamber
this her
land
to the Queen.
to
youngest daughter, Barbara, was born at Cleve(the father of whom was generally believed
House
to be
followed her mother's example by having an illegitimate son by the Earl of Arran, who as the fourth
Duke
of Hamilton
fell
in the
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
184
2.
Barbara retired to the Priory
Nicholas at Pontoise in Normandy, where, after
being Prioress for sixteen years, she died in 1737.''
Her sisters, the Ladies Anne and Charlotte Fitzroy,
of
St.
Edward Henry
The Secret
sum of fifteen
since
that
came hither
I
I
that
hope you
kindness to
my
deare Charlotte,
am
going to
New-
Therefore
despatch to-night.
that I have five hundred
you now
be assured that
all
my
harte,
being
at
Hamilton, lived for some time with his grandWalpolc House, Chiswick, and afterwards joined the
English Court at Saint-Germain.
'
Letter in the possession of Ambrose Lee, Esq.
mother
son, Charles
at
185
Countess
of
Sussex.
As
elsewhere
her
described,
boon
the
companion,
having won
in
her
Ambassador,
describes
how
these
two
inseparables,
the
attentions
his
wife
received
in
her
friend's
fox
Madame
still,"
'
The Duchess
of
Cleveland
meanwhile,
after
com-
the actor
Belvoir
MSS.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
186
informing Charles
To
II.
herself in
"
:
my
conduct
it
shall be
Madam,
can, and
that
all
care not
who you
love.'
"
After
to
this
the
effect
Sussex,
first
removal
of
the
Holy
of
young Countess
placed her, to
Sepulchre within Paris
the
;
Monastery of
and afterwards,
if
effect her
at
the
at
the
v, p.
372.
(May
187
i6,
she writes, " but every day gone out with the Embassador, and has often layen four daies together at my
house and sent for her meat to the Embassador, he
maistre
the Embassador's.
that
afflicted
make
so
to ruin
a return
ill
me."
Charles
answered
"
this
Your
letter
and
received
the
Ma*^'
who
the
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
188
a life."
Duke
way young
the keeping of
Walter.
Lucy
But the Duchess continued her appeals to the King.
She objected to the Lady Abbess letting her daughter
of
his mother,
have her own way, and go out when she liked, and,
indeed, by the mother's account, the establishment
a very
easy-going one.
entertained
her
"
At
was
The Countess
length the dispute was settled.
reconciled with her husband and returned to
Before long, however, they again separated,
James II. abdicated she lived principally with
Whitehall.
and when
Towards
the end
of the year
at the
figures conspicuously
1679
the Duchess
marriage, or
rather
re-
Duke of
age).
ro(;kk falmkr,
EARI, or
ISAI'.F.I.T.A
I;RNNET,
CASTLKMAINE
DUCHKSS of (JRAKTON
189
bride.
so,
augury deceive me
not, will in few years be such a paragon as were fit to
make the wife of the greatest prince in Europe." The
find
it
who
to her advantage,
diarist says
if
my
who had
his half-brother,
Monmouth,
of Cork, 1690.
His wife survived him thirty-two
years, having married secondly Sir Thomas Hanmer.
Her
full-length portrait,
famous "
to rival
Of
be said.
She had
sufficient tact
little
more remains to
at
'
the well-known
l^ide
"
Sunday scene
King Monmouth."
in the
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
190
her
in a
place
house in
that
the
as
this
two
heiresses,
one of
whom
was
still
living.
Towards
her to continue
Chiswick may
at
Cleveland House.
at
still
In
the Mall
her
life
to
do,
for
Kneller's
portrait
yUc
of her
close
by.
(in
the
Walpole
of"
the
191
widow.
'
until
Viscount
who
There
Dillon,
possesses a replica, pointed out the mistake.
are three other portraits of her at Ditchlcy, two by Lely and one
by Gascar. By his lordship's courtesy, the former two are reproduced in this volume. The original of the better-looking portrait
is a
The other represents the Duchess (as a Madonna)
full-length.
with her son, the little Duke of Grafton.
Mrs. Beale, the portrait
painter,
1677
saw the
(?;(/(?
latter in Baptist
May's lodgings
at
Whitehall in
Painting").
GRACE,
We
see in it more of
particular pleasure in painting.
Dangeau's brief, impartial criticism than the naturally
We
The Countess
most
lively
wit,
own
verdict.
the
world
" She
had
the
carried
is
fairest
away with
shape,"
he
his
says,
ments
ELlZAliF/ni
(;R.\^:().NT
fell
193
it
is
so difficult to imitate.
Her complexion was possessed
of a certain freshness, not to be equalled by borrowed
colours
her eyes were not large, but they were lively
and capable of expressing whatever she pleased her
:
mouth was
full
uncommonly
In fine, her
stupidity
said
what
brief
"
"
Pardon,"
you forgotten something in London ?
" I
replied the Count with his usual polish,
forgot to
sister."
So
the
three
returned
to town
marry your
and the marriage ceremony was duly solemnised not
194
as
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
it
year 1663.
As the Count has noticed
a great obstacle to
all his
*'
is
becoming
by
a beautiful
niece
grace
material wealth that, according to those who give her
I think that at first the Chevalier
most, she has none.
did not
mean
to
go so
but be
it
certain
it is
that
The King
has
evil,
it,
or at least postpone
see
now no remedy
recommended by
blind
it,
but
to
an
and per-
with a
formed by a disabled man. He loaded
thousand false reasons, which I would not entertain
and time will teach
he received mine in the same way
me
wish for
his sake
it
may be
it
Gramont.
195
many
Countess de
admirers,
common
to both,
and
in
unwittingly have drawn them together.
another respect they were widely different, the Count
But
may
He
whom
trifle in
such matters.
One
them
insignificant marriages
Richard Talbot, afterwards
Sir
none of
knight's daughter.
for a
"A
Speaking of his
visit to Paris
II.," pp.
94,95.
196
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
in 1659,
latter says,
Amongst
my Lady
Hamilton,
opposed
it,
in France."
who was
with himself.
that the
sooner
autumn
his
had
it
his
trip
says
to France
her."
And
it
would seem
as if the
197
without interference.!
So
She
nothing has been said of her parentage.
was the eldest daughter of the nine children of Sir
far
64 1.
many
Abercorn.
1
stances,
migrated
to
France,
Anthony, by
who
Duke
that
^
Letter from Cominges to Lionnc, December, 1663,
" French Ambassador at the Court of Charles
II.," p. 95.
vide
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
198
married
George
Frances
sister
Jennings,
of the
lady whom
Marlborough,
Gramont likened to the Goddess of Spring. But we
Duchess
beautiful
of
^
speak of her elsewhere.
Three out of the six brothers died a soldier's death.
killed in an
>
Gramont and
When
that they
*'
I have not had
1664, he writes
yett time to
talke with the Comte de Gramont, he is so taken up
with his wife as I have scarse seen him these two days
18,
that he has
long, and
point as
most men
are,
and then
will
give you a
younger
for the
happy event,
this
"
p.
153.
EI.IZAr.KTIl
ll\MII.TOX,
rOMTKSSK DK
CRAMON'-l-
happy
Some
six
weeks
on
later
started
pair
199
hope you
will
be
I writt to
you, for in
from
but
came
what
my harte, and as
sayd nothing
then tould you, I do now againe, that if I did not
it I
intend what
write,
give you
this,
it
to
you.
and he
will
you.
pray be kinde to
him, and to his wife, for my sake, and if at any time
there be an occasion to send hether one of his talent,
I
is
The
"
writt to
mont, but
by the
your
wife and family, and now that
come sooner
to
is
as
good
handsome woman
in
France, though
beleeve she
II.," p.
95.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
200
she has not yett, since her lying in, recovered that good
'
shape she had before, and I am affraide never will."
It
may
had been
Gramont
incurred
Marshal de
la
The King
Mothe-Houdancourt.
Lucy
Lucy had
to
The Duchess of
desired, received
if
returned
'
in
to
his
country
1664
as
ii.
p. 26.
bachelor,
This
and
letter
not
was written
man), the
of Louis was
reception
201
not
so
cordial.'
women
ever
Comte de Gramont, he
knew
in
my
As
life.
for the
opinion
Queen. Dangeau says that Madame de Maintenon was jealous of her, and Madame de Caylus states
to the
than
fact
amiable
that she
in
appearance
in
"Anglaise insupportable."
The Count de
England, judging
"
more pleasing
Memoirs
"
Gramont
by
the
in
daughters,
'
2
3
Claude
" Memoirs of
"Madame,"
Fide
the
Charlotte and
there
Mary
were
two
Elizabeth,
Count de Gramont."
p.
218.
author's
Gramont," Appendix
I,
edition
of the
"
Memoirs of Count de
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
202
whom
neither of
which Dangeau
did not
us
tells
good looks,
prevent them from
Howard, Viscount
Stafford.
The
other
daughter became Abbess of the Canonesses of LorLouis XIV. soon forgot all about his rivalship
raine.
with the Count de Gramont, and admitted him into
he soon found him indispensable
the closest intimacy
;
He
at Versailles.
near
all
resort
of wit and
fashion.
Gramont
somewhat
difficult
Altogether her
one to, as Dangeau says, make the duties of
a wife compatible with the known follies and irreguband.
difficult
larities
of her husband.2
branch
'
Her
" Memoirs of
Count dc GraSec VizclcUy's edition of the
mont,"
'
her hand.
in
vol.
i.
p. xviii.
Dangcau's Journal.
chestnut
colour, and
her
complexion
203
brilliant.
The
at
latter
objected to.
NELL GWYN
popularity of pretty, witty Nell has resulted
in giving us a very confused idea as to what she
was like. Were one to visit consecutively the picture
THE
Great
galleries in
Britain,
public
famous
and
private,
actress,
which
we should be
Blondes, brunettes
beauties
short,
mind, but
plump,
lean;
sufficiently
accommodating
to
allow
the
to
own
conception.
the art dealer of ages past (we will not
include the present time) we are indebted for this great
variety, from the mere fact that a portrait of "Sweet
"
Nell of Old Drury
has always commanded a
higher
price than other contemporary beauties, even be they
It
is
to
Duchesses
at Whitehall.
901
NKl.l,
(iWNN
NELL GWYN
205
To
chievousness, were
There
is
is
here
shown
to be
it
fair,
which
unquestionably authentic.
The face, surrounded by a profusion of fair curls, is
Here
expressive of her great characteristic, humanity.
we have the Court favourite rather than the actress,
ing at
Althorp,
if
is
somewhat
insipid in expression,
is
predominant.
Of undoubted
was
sold
among
respects this is
the
like the
Peel
heirlooms.
Althorp picture.
In
many
But com-
pare
with
Hampton
these
Court
misnamed
Nell
Gwyn,
but
un-
Far
different, again,
from these
is
the
plump and
pretty
Northumberland," and
" Moll Davis."
at the
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
206
far
Evelyn
for
him
to give
us
distasteful
by
any description
One cannot
whatever.
creature
little
more
the
of the mouth
corners
more
attractive
to
at
fair
May
I,
"To
1667.
Westminster:
on the way
Oct.
there
'
5,
going
Vide
Gramont,"
2
"
1667.
in
To
the
met with
Introduction
to
the
King's
House
Knepp- and
author's
edition
of
she
and
took
"Count de
p. xxi.
Mrs. Knipp or Kncp, the actress friend of Pepys, was the wife
of a Smithficld horse-dealer.
NELL GWYN
207
shift
unready, and
And
is
so walked
questions to
all
her part
Knepp
of
But
to-day.
'
while
she
answered
'
Flora's
Lord
to
Figarys
see
how
me through
which
was acted
they
were both
how
was pretty
"
Maypole
Alley,"
with
her
associated
1
89
bore
1.
one of
name,
sign
of
it
the
many
was
was
old
pulled
a
of
houses
down
in
public-house and
Pie."
But the
James
I.'s
daughter, the
Queen
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
208
distinctly fashionable
although
it
had
its
disreputable
quarters.
The
little
Moll Davis
at the
for the
bad
susceptible monarch
had left vacant.
her
she
had
a jig
in
Suffolk
fallen
in
dancer on
Street,
how when
interested
his
in
turned
crimson
looked up to see
when
she
who
it
was, and
NKI.I. (;\V\N
NELL GWYN
209
The
distinction.^
Colonel's
may
living in
century) also claimed that
have
brothers,
interested
in
facilitated
Robert
and
her
advancement
in
girJ,
same
cause.
of 1745.
The
and
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
210
An
of the axe.
memory,
fact
that
woman who
Almshouses
in the
miles from
old
at
Ingatestone, not
many
Charles
II. 's
Earl, his
young
face
was
in a perfect state
Hexham.
handsome
of preservation, and
was born
in the
Coal Yard
in
out, there
correct
that
it
is
question
as
to whether
at all, there
the
actress's
being a tradition
is
Whcatlcy's edition
ot"
p. 2.
NELL GWYN
211
situated
was
"
Dryden's
" Indian
Emperor,"
and
her
part
At
in
this early
Life
popular.
said to
is
woman
of the times.
When
on the upward
a notorious
Dongan
scale
and
Lord Buckhurst,
a rival actress,
'
When Lady
was "Beck
April
7,
"
then,
Marshall
1668.)
it
who made
the assignations.
it
(Pepys' Diary,
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
212
made
guests."
It
was
in
that
1667,
July,
witty
but
party.
profligate
Pepys was
this
King's
[Epsom], says
patron of the stage on Sunday,
our coachman carried us, and there
year.
inimitable
"where
had an ill room for us
July
14,
not
to
go
taken
up.
Here we
called for
drink
Much
altered
old
building
lively sparks
It is now
standing.
to two bay-windowed rooms as those occupied by the
famous
actress.
hiding place
is
said
to have
been
why
Such
places
have been
'
.?
historic
But
per-
XKi.i. (;\v\
NELL GWYN
213
sonages
Durdans,
in her
is
still
Gwyn's
more
stables,
and
is
said to
Charles
Charles
III., for
two Charles's
when
were concerned.
those two
Epsom
In after years,
in all her state,
little
his
going monarch
success.
as
who
in the part
of Edward
is
III.'s
tunities of
Ere long
it
was an open
214
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
removed from Lincoln's Inn
north side
the
of Pall
Mall,
Charles,
Company.
few doors
who
is
new
tenant
well
is
King and
In
repetition.
[the
heartily sorry
*'
Story of Nell
mount or raised
scene."'
this
Gwyn,"
was
Cunningham,
in
his
says that
terrace could
still
portion of the
be seen in 185 1-
Evelyn's Diary,
March
Cunningham's work
Among
1671.
appeared in the Gentleman's Mtigazine.
ist,
first
it.
HI \\ A
I)UClll-..s>
Iil\\\ KIKKK.
Di-:
\i;ki;.
COLXTKSS OK OXKORI
t.\)
NELL GWYN
many
215
some way
"
or another, rightly or wrongly, with
Witty Nell,"
Lauderdale
at
still
the tradition
House, Highlingers
that her first child, Charles Beauclerc, who was born
gate,
in May, 1670, obtained his
earldom through
his
mother's
out of the
expedient of holding the infant arm's length
she
would
window over the porch and saying
drop the
royal father did not there and then
confer a suitable title upon him, whereat the King is
bastard
little
if his
said
the
Dukedom
name
still
of
St.
lingers at
was built for the actress and for the Earl and his
heirs after her death.
Judging from Kip's engraving
of
it,
it
a palatial mansion.
son.
he married the
last
survivor of the
De
Veres, Earls of
Oxford.
Kneller at
216
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
Mary
was a judge. I
One of Nelly's many reputed residences, Sandford
Manor House, Chelsea, is in an excellent state of
preservation, although its present gas-work surroundings
are
sadly
out
with
of harmony
old-world
its
one of the
actress's abodes,
claimed
like
edition
of
J'imc."
the
won her
"Memoirs
(if
universal
Count dc
AU1!KK\'
l)K
VKkK,
I'.AKl.
OK OXKORI)
GWYN
NELL
There are
popularity
The
We
help.
fallen
highest
innumerable of her
stories
217
in
he
in
disfavour,^
The King's
eighteenth century by an eye-witness.
silversmith had on exhibition a costly service which
made
for
the
exist
which
can confirm that the original idea of the Chelsea penNell's, the popular tradition is probably
sioners was
correct.
Sir
Stephen Fox, but for all that the idea probably was
hers, or her influence originally brought it about.
Evelyn was not one to look for any good in her, nor
would he record a popular belief in her favour. In
his eyes no good was possible in a woman of her
calling.
Of
Nell's acting
we have
'
"King Monmouth,"
said
little.
Let an eye-
p. 82.
*'
:
Jesse's
Memoirs of
the Stuarts."
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
218
8,
The English
actress,
never,
believe, in
do
this
mad
both
girle, then most and best of all when she
comes in like a young gallant ; and hath the motions
as a
and carriage of
man
have.
a spark the
makes me,
It
see
the
more
like,
saw any
He
March
25,
1667.
"Saw
'
It
on Dec. 28, 1667, " but only Nell's and Hart's mad
most excellently done, but especially her's
parts are
:
which makes
do any
it
or changeling
me
a miracle to
and
in a
to think
how
ill
she
mad
part,
do beyond
all
imita-
NELL GWYN
The famous
tion almost."
219
journal had
in the part
come
to an
"
of" Almahide
in
"
in
Conquest of Granada," which was played
" in a broad brimmed hat and waistbelt,"
1670.
Nelly
the
speaking the prologue, surely would have pleased
Dryden's
the
Although
the
in
extravagance
actress
mis-
of her
expenditure in no way approached that
from
rival, the Duchess of Portsmouth, we may gather
the disbursements of the Privy Purse and from Nell's
tress's
household
bills
some items
the
showiness
that she
of her
naturally
somewhat
theatrical
surroundings.
now
access cannot
dated
made
quite
up
dancer, Jacob
Doubtless this
since
has
been
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
220
The
ably was
in
in the
list.
for
Duke of
St.
death
father's
still
aper-
Forster.J
At
1687.
Althorp, and
in
that
is
represented wearing
the pearl necklace which she purchased from Prince
Rupert's mistress, the actress Peg Hughes, for over
Query was he
Chevalier
in
171
related
to
the
Jacobite
who
fought
for
the
XKii. {;\\\x
NELL GWYN
"
At
Philberts," backstair
an
Bray,
old
gabled,
221
house
near
building,
with
Chiffinch's
half-timbered
we remember
London
her
Of
descendants.
equal
virginal
exhibited
at
among
also
her
is
1666, with a
lid.
was
It
Fishmongers' Hall
And
Hill.
in
ments
interest
a third relic
in
and
Army
Navy
site.
its
'
Upon
whom
Buckingham,
Duke's Head"
rebuilt
now
at
that
adorned
Royalist
Brudenel, Earl of Cardigan, might well
be represented in one of her early portraits as Minerva
equipped for war ; but wisdom in no way appears to
Robert
ANNA
if
the
favoured
risked
their
lives
to
obtain
their
reward.
Court,
her
His
first
some
had
years
passed
223
become
entirely callous.
In
Mary
and
in
brazennessand cruelty.
There is something
tiger-like in the voluptuousness of the notorious Countess which differs in a marked degree from the inani-
trace both
mate expression
nevertheless
the
in
face
this period,
unattractive.
Her
It
com-
As may
Look
at his portrait
(which
originally
came from
National
Donington Hall,
Leicestershire)
Collection.
His character is clearly written in his
in
in
the
Butler's description of
to the life as if you
Scott's
is one,"
says the inimitable
" that has
studied the whole body of vice.
His
wit,
are
to
the whole, and like a
parts
disproportionate
master, he has
less
of others that he
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
224
He
should have.
raised in
him and
of his own.
He
down
has pulled
built himself
up
has dammed up
all
nature
that
again after a
all
model
made
his
vicious
humours
(as well
as his
him
affect
become
habitual,
that he retains
He
rises, eats,
variety to render him sensible of them.
and goes to bed by the Julian account, long after all
and keeps the same
others that go by the new style
:
hours with
ants
walks
all
it
like
an
by day.
his life,
and
loses his
men do
are led
by
their
ways
out of
in the
their dogs, so
he governed
relates
time as
men
225
to his pleasures.
He
is
is
that
as inconstant as the
moon which
His mind
world.
entertains
all
all
cheats, quacks,
particular
Thus with
humour
while
and only
hang
than other
He
men do
His
ears are
perpetually
morality.
Howard, and
The
Earl of Carlisle.
first
He
Howard,^ the
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
226
third
Duchess of Richmond,
in
Mary
sister,
many
Villiers,
owing to
bury.
injured enough
says that
(?),
of the
ignorance
quarrel, but Count Gramont informs us that presumably
for the sheer love of mischief, the Countess let Jermyn
body
else
know
was kept
as to the cause
in
of an entertainment which
at the
put in
Howard had
arranged
With
as well as
great difficulty
paying
Howard
Howard,
Verney Papers,
Earl
of Carlisle
Colonel
and
Thomas Howard,
Mr.
a
Dillon, brother
brother
of James,
to
Lord
Earl
of
of Count
dc
third
Suffolk.
'
Gramont."
the
" Memoirs
227
Giles
Dillon,
accosted
'
done
justice, let's
and
fled,
'tis
thought that
hurt, for
came
thrust so
buff
or
home
sword
other
armour would
not
at the hilt,
suffer
but
entrance.
Dillon
says it
victors
in his Diurnal,
Anyhow,
the
Hist.
7,
App.
p.
484.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
228
Jermyn recovered
not, as
in another quarter.
Sir John Reresby says that
Buckingham's infatuation
for the Countess began at the time the King had given
him a commission to raise a troop of horse in the
north.
As
the dancing,
daybreak, was not a
the
rest, little
notorious a rake.
were
presently the eyes of other relatives and friends
opened.
an open
scandal, and
the
One
can
to avoid
enough
York terminated
to
visit
229
but
little
ultimate
fate
feel
his
It
public property in July of the following year.
her
Duke
as
that
the
to
lover,
appears
prior
accepting
character
or
the rake
mixed up
in
in
less
Henry
Killigrew,
something discreditable,
disgrace.
Gramont
if
anything,
more despicable
certainly a
who was
for ever
says
that
Killigrew
became enslaved a few months after Monmouth's marriage, by which it may be inferred that three years had
passed since then and the visit to
Upon
occasions, especially
round
the
freely,
way
in
when
York
just mentioned.
the bottle had passed
of being put
aside.
We
refer once
more
to the
Verney
H.
Duke
of
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
230
at a play, drolled
Buckingham
and
his
him
a challenge
face better.
sword
his
in
my
beg
The Duke
life,'
and
fell
Duke
life,
lost his
kicked him.
wig
Buckingham's intrigue with the Countess of Shrewsbury having been thus noised abroad, a challenge at
length arrived from the Earl, who even then was in no
hurry, for nearly six months had elapsed since the
brawl just described. The news reached the King's
ears,
who gave
Duke
should
be
The duel,
prevented from meeting his adversary.
however, arranged on a very extensive scale, took place
without interruption in a wood near Barn Elms, which
sequestered spot at this time was occasionally the resort
of pic-nic
parties.
The Duke's
Holmes and
Hist.
7,
App.
p.
486.
Pcpys,
May
26, 1667
Sir
COL'X'IKSS
Ol' SI
|.A\ Si;l'
k\
231
sword
in
on the
spot,i
and
held
own and
should he have proved the victor.3 The Duke, however, declared before the House of Lords in 1674 that
time she was in a French convent, which seems
to be even more doubtful, as after her husband's death
at the
new
Pepys,
'
Howard
opponent, vUe
194
"
Walpolc's
Royal and Noble Authors."
Letter from Saint-Evremond to Waller,
"George
2
3
p.
who saw
was
Jenkins'
the
Lady
Duke
at
Burghclere's
Villiers," p.
"
George
Villiers,"
195.
4
He
died
encounter.
at
Arundel
after
the
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
232
the
Duke
am
told
home by
'
the beautiful riverside seat of Cliveden in Buckinghamshire, that after the duel the guilty pair retired there, in
Pope's words
the
first
times.
Duke
built the
more
important mansion.
Evelyn visited the spot in 1679,
and speaks of the buildings of extraordinary expense,
the cloisters, descents, gardens, the stately avenue, the
romantic grottos, &c.
Lord Ronald Gower, in a most
graphic and picturesque description of Cliveden of to'
May
5,
1668
233
grey cliff,
of Charles
owing to him
ashamed of her-
felt
herself for
a time.
"
My
since
none of her
relatives will
undertake
Rye
to stop
it,
her
but
if
Presumably she did not succeed in overwho had adopted the precaution
The
de Croissy.
My
l^ide
Letters of
Henry
Savile to Sir
George
Savile.
234
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
who watched
six miles
from London.
fell
'
far
Colbert toLionnc,
May
by H. Forncron, p. 50.
^
Vide letter from Charles
by Julia Carivvrighl, p. 260.
20, 1669.
to the
Duchess
of"
Orleans,
"
Madame,"
235
shocked
at the scenes
Nor
title
of Earl
acted as godfather. 3
a few months.
In the burial register at Westminster
"
is the
Abbey
following entry
young male child
:
was layd
in the
to
related
that
was the
At
negotiating his
had due
*
effect.
The Marquis
The
bribe
de Croissy, writing to
"Memoirs
of the Stuarts."
Fasten,
Jesse's
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
236
own way, but when Buckingham fell into disfavour with King and Parliament the day had arrived
for an end to be put to this entire disregard of protheir
Upon
priety.
nell
(the
Countess's brother,
commencement of
the
who had
scandalous
Lord Brudedetected
amour
the
at
York),
and some others, the Duke was commanded by the
House of Lords to put an end to the alliance, both
he and the Countess to enter into security to the King
in the sum of ten thousand pounds apiece.
For a
great
ordeal,
but
abject
convent
at
absolution.
all
By
the
reappearing as a respectable
'
Ibid.,
"George
p.
106.
1673-74.
237
year
a letter
"
Dutchesse's
the
"
Lady
comand
1678,
July,
much more
kindnesse."
In
we
At
is
was
at
Winchester, and
the
room
when
the Court
Nell
that
Gwyn
this article,
out.
still
came
from
originally
here.
at that
It
was removed
famous
sale
joined
2
3
2,
App.
pt.
ii.
Ibid., p. 52.
FUe
the
author's
Gramont," where
it
is
edition
of the
reproduced.
"
Memoirs of Count dc
238
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
The famous
at the
silver looking-glasses
to his mistress,
now
at Osterly
same house.
Duke of
slain in
a duel
by
The
Grafton, in 1685.
Countess died in 1702, and her second husband eleven
Both were interred in the church of St.
years later.
Charles
II. 's
son, the
Giles-in-the Fields.
Ills'-
(il
K((\
M'.l,
OF
of York,
good
looks,
and
silly.
after describing
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
240
He
nearly as superlative.
Courtin's
eulogium is
describes her as one of the
girls
in
Madame
pares to
and the
England
little
He
his heart.
pretty pair
the Queen-mother and even the Duchess of York,
who
The Maid of
on such matters.
Honour received daily visits and daily presents, but
before the mutual attachment got really serious,
Courtin stepped in and suggested that his protege
At
length the
little
among
England
[Jennings]
reddened
I
at the
Court of Charles
II.," p. 153.
asked
Majesty told
to let
241
M.
Porter
desolation as the
young
when on board
gallant offered
He
was
right,
dearly."
can
The
him
is
in the
further
some
details
ladies,
wonderful
Street
of the
adventure.
being anxious to
mountebank who
The two
frolic-
test
had
set
up
who went
in
Tower
to consult
and was astonishing
his remarkable knowledge of their choicest
all
him with
secrets, followed
who had
at the
Court
of
Charles II.,"
p.
57.
"
Alexander
John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, impersonating
Bendo."
R
3
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
242
That afternoon
a hackney coach and drove eastwards.
their royal mistress had gone to the play and, as they
were passing the vicinity of the theatre, the idea
would be immense fun to act
up to their disguise and go and sell their goods in view
of the whole house.
Acting up to the suggestion, they
dismissed their conveyance and walked to the entrance
of the theatre, where they encountered the two gallants,
occurred to them that
it
Henry
Killigrew and
in.
The
latter
The
situation at last
nothing for it
of one difficulty than another presented itself.
Having
re-entered their coach, they were on the point of
Tower Street
alighting somewhere in the vicinity of
Henry Brouncker,
their
best
to
hide
their
faces.
Such
really
HENKV
SII)XK\. KARl.
OF KOMNKV
The
them
so treating
off lightly,
situation
243
them
as
let
the characters
abandoning
soon as they were rid of their objectionable
companion returned to their vehicle with all speed, but
teller, as
him
they
at
more
to
fracas,
never
many
length
go
reached
after
St.
James's,
vowing
through so
they had lately
fortune-tellers,
undergone."
The Miss Price alluded to was Goditha, the daughter
of Sir Herbert Price, Master of the Household to
Charles
II.,
Maria
Price, the
"
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
244
Denham
in point
disposition.
little
of
keeping when once she obtained knowledge
a
mischiefthem, in fact she was almost as much of
safe
maker
Gramont
Count
as
himself.
Her
sister,
The engraving
by
of which
(the existence
by Lely
painting
from an
Bartolozzi,
original
we have
to
very sweet face, attributable rather, perhaps,
tage
3
a
whom
the engraver than the artist.
Lady Price, of
:
Edmund Warcup,
to
ambitious
that
according
enough to think
Anthony
Charles
Wood
II.
was
would
her. 4
marry
The
near
nings, or Jenyns, of Holywell House,
'
="
245
Duke of
In 1676
we
find the
knew what
official
capacity as
Maid of
itt,
-I
12,
App.
pt.
ii.
p. 32.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
246
a
is
mad woman."
Charles
II.
elder lady,
owing to her infamous character.-
fears
such prominence.
The elder daughter, meanwhile, having quite recovered from the favourable impression created by the
romantic young Frenchman, as well as an infatuation
for the
lady-killer,
years
her sister's
"
house of the Countess of Berkeley.
There was in
3
Ambassadress's
company my Lady Hamilmy Lady
wars.
She
had
p.
Bclvoir
MSS.,
been
Hist.
12,
App.
vol. x. p.
pt.
ii.
p. 34..
xii.
206.
3
The
ordinary
*
Evelyn's Diary,
November
12, 1676.
Ambassador Extra-
247
distinction,
The
witty rebuff
worth repeating.
Well, Madam,"
observation when she and her retainers came forward
"
to welcome him,
your countrymen run well."
"
Indeed, Sire," replied the Duchess with spirit,
is
*'
but
At
am
lady,
the
very
reverse
of
94-95-
Kingdom," 1892,
pp.
248
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
exiled
King
Lord Lieutenant
retired to the
Court of Saint-
interested
London
Her
visit
incognito early in
England, and unable for some time to procure secret access to her family, hired one of the stalls
under the Royal Exchange ^ and maintained herself by
arrival in
She wore
a white dress
mask which
interest
she
'
was recognised and found accommodaAfter the death of James II, she
tion elsewhere."
some
time
in
Her famous brother-inlived
Brussels.
called, at length
in
'
''
sister
(Pennant.)
249
St.
having
there a nunnery.
Her
Her
Albans. ^
visit
means to
sufficient
establish
in her
rise or to call,
was found
a few hours."
is
no monument
to her
memory.
There are portraits of the Duchess of Tyrconnel by
Lely at Malahide Castle and Berkeley Castle, and by
Mary
Beale
William
III.'s
at
Althorp.
reign, she
still
In
the
last,
painted
is
in
not
Jesse's
2
"Memoirs of the
Stuarts."
College
at Paris.
memory
in the Scottish
250
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
self-conscious
is
Viscountesses,
Miss Temple
worldly-wise than Frances Jennings,
to the
Introduced
to
victim
became an easy
flattery.
gay Court at the age of sixteen, her head was soon
turned by no less an adept in the art than Rochester,
who
with consummate
skill
wormed himself
he
composed
into her
about her.
guard
in
time
to
put upon
prevent her from taking his
He
who posed
as Rochester's
in
251
favour
of the
far
good
more
Sir Charles,
where
his
cause
with
At Hagley
1718,2 the portraits of both hang above the stairHe is represented in armour with a black page
in
case.
by
He
his side.
can say
"
La
little
"
belle
tall
Temple
more than she looks very
attractive,
but
possession
she
has
round, roguish
The
face,
life-like
decidedly
than many
Reproduced
dc Gramont."
in
1758.
It
was
THE
second
Sir
in
in
his
besiege it
the Parliamentarian side,
Charles
II.,
whom
he
lived
to
see
restored
to
his
throne.
Welsh
extraction,
who
first
wife,
refers in his
comparable
second wife, the daughter of William Cockayne, and
had previously married a Mr. Worfield.
Of
'
"
A Memoir
Eleanor,
we
shall
[ANE
.\n
liPKLTUxX
253
Pepys, on the
authority of Evelyn, does not speak in too high terms
of this lady, although her own terms appear to have
husband being
Peter
Warburton).
Her
God
The fine
1663.
" the
in
figures
Beauty
Room" at Hampton Court, although she can scarcely
"
claim that honour, used to be named " Lady Byron
had
it,"
ladyship
in error.tfiey
Civil
died
in
who
The
may
Wars
the widowed
p. 58.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
251
ration.
arrived
in
England
The most
down to us
sale
for
the
small
famous
sum of
eleven
One
guineas.
fine
Lely's
Hill
at the
Imperial Collection at
St.
The
easier to be
blue.
The
portrait of Mrs.
Myddelton, or Middleton,
at
Rotham-
sted, Herts,
six sisters-in-law.
represents one of Jane Myddclton's
Sir Charles
nee
Sir
MRS.
.M\
hHI'.l.rdN
255
made
the
for a wit
being
much
trouble that
tiresome,
established
she
to pass
reputation of
longer than her
beauty."
Still,
at
woman
High
at
His mode of
and
lavish presents,
ingratiating himself was to
the lady was
that
he
in this instance
complains
willing
returns.
the French
Ambassador
in
"
have a very
He (Gramont) has just managed
ridiculous affair with Madame Middleton, whose maid
to
"Louise de Kerouallc,"
p.
163.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
256
When
at
her, as
it
He
feelings
by offering her
to
vie
with her
wealthier rivals,
for she
"She
is not
mercenary," says her fairer judge, Courtin,
" and once refused a
purse containing fifteen hundred
which
Gramont
offered her." gold angels,
It is
somewhat remarkable
at
church or
at
when
Out of her many worshippers, "watch-
dogs," as Courtin
calls
"French Ambassador
at Court of Charles
"Louise de Kcrouallc," pp. 156, 157.
II.," p. 93,
J.WK M\ HliKl.TON
(mi;s.
m.w)
Kk.WC
l'.^
III
IMdKI'
I.AliN
\l\ Dill'
1.
TON
MRS. LANGLEV
THE
Lawrence
was
Hyde,
the
Waller,
MYDDET/PONS
JiEAlTTTFlTL
poet,
257
also
the
name too
indeed, in 1679
^^
^^
" Mrs."
caused
confusion
the
to
Duchess of Portsmouth.
however,
i
delicately in regard to either,
single
ladies
raises
Here,
by the
the
appellation
question as to
whether the beauty's daughter was not the lady referred to, which seems not unlikely, as the year before
the French Ambassador, Barrillon, remarks that there
was a plot on the part of Mrs. Myddelton and her
friend. Lady Harvey, to undermine the Duchess of
Portsmouth's power by getting the King " to honour
sufficient
married, in
Sir
was buried
Althamia, of
parents.
Sir
in
740.
had
She
younger sister,
known.
Their grandnothing
Robert Needham and his wife, died
whom
is
"Poems on
'
See
"Louise de Keroualle,"
202.
i.
1666,
pp. 132-217.
3
17 10.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
258
and
lie
village
of
Clophill.
Needham was
Eleanor
sister
Duke
the
of
of a
We
gather from
one of John Verney's letters in 1675, that she had so
far participated in the Duke's disgrace that she had
" Some
say Miss Needham,
brought it upon herself.
connoisseur
with
whom
in
matters
the
Duke
taken
abroad,
is
matters
were soon
feminine.
Monmouth
of
at
again
rectified
Court."
was
catch'd
These
little
absence
temporary
After the Rye
was forgotten and forgiven
House plot, when Monmouth was conspicuous by
and
all
his
absence,
Street,
by
uninhabited
" Mrs.
for
Needham
some
time,
Duke
(the
Vcrncy
3
(^Ue
"
King Monmouth,"
p.
1^8,
As
will be seen,
259
his original
there
is
in the military
his
in
James Crofts,
costume of Queen Anne's time, bearing
handsome
to
"
The King,"
by
relationships
marrying
Monmouth's
illegitimate
mother married an
Irish
whom
she had another daughter. Eleanor lived into Anne's reign, but the date of her
decease
is
not recorded.
The
cause
^
is
pretty
figure until
clear.
James
William's
was
"King Monmouth,"
reign.
former
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
260
connected
pleasant
treasonable
his
to
nephew
bear
memory.
Myddelton arms.
Castle,
Denbighshire,
Elizabeth's
family in
great
had
Mortimers,
The grand
came
possession
into
reign, although
held the estate
of
the
ancestors, the
four centuries
The
before.
beauties
Lady
mondeley,!
is
first
'
(the
particularly attractive.
wife),
in-law, Frances
Sir
Myddelton
Whitmore
Richard Myddelton
-)
Mary Chol-
first
Her
baronet's
daughters-
Myddelton,
and mode of wearing the hair as well as from the youthful appearance of the lady, must be the daughttr of Mrs. Jane Myddelton the
A replica of Lely's Lady Whitmore at Hampton Court
beauty.
and
at
Chirk Castle,
Lady Dcnham."
is
also
"
Margaret Brooke,
wrongly inscribed
MAkN (.IIOIMONDKI.KW
l.\li\
iKI.
ION
^
(the first wife of the second baronet),
beauties.
The first of these two
Lady Myddelton
were
also
261
great
Ladies
to above.
portraits,-
popularity
Modena,
who
their
wives
selection,
included
rival the
added
Lely
to
series
their
Mary of
plain Anne
especially
herself,
which
Hyde
the
Rye House
plot)
King
"
" if the
Surely, madam," she said,
was to ask for the portraits of all the wits in his
immortalised.
*
In her marble monument in Chirk Church she is
represented
with her infant son in her arms, who only lived a few
Sir
days.
Thomas's sons by his second wife, Charlotte Bridgeman, all died
young.
Their
sister
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
262
" ^
Court, would not the rest think he called them fools ?
The observation calls to mind the famous Kit-Kat
the wits whose toasting
of the beauties of James II. 's
few years
portraits of a
later,
since
removed from
their historic
home
of Knellers
may
at
Long
Barn Elms,
still
be seen
old
Bayfordbury, the seat of the descendant of
Jacob Tonson, the secretary of the famous club,
at
whose
like
portrait
of the
shire
set.
is
perhaps the most vigorous and lifeThe room in this secluded Hertford-
abounds
house
in
association.
historical
We
Dorset
and
vain
fops
such
the
as
proud
Duke
Charles
II.
'
"Anecdotes of Painting
in
England."
KI.IZAliEI
I'.Uri.I.K,
COUNTKSS OF CHKSIKKMKM)
TWO
beauties
father
263
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
264
the
"
to.
satisfied
you one
as I
would,
thought
fitt
other way."
Her union
to Robert,
the Earl
of
his
was
at
had
all
the
it
strict
confidence.
265
Upon one
such
his
head
He
when he saw
whom
coming
upstairs.
it,
and
The
whom
he immediately heard
devil who ought to be civil
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
266
if
name,
'
my good
fellow,'
said he, giving him his hand, ' where the devil have
you been that I have never been able to set eyes on
you since we were at Brussels ? What business brought
you here
If
this
Do
Lady Southesk
to see
your
my poor
you may
go away again, for I must inform you the Duke of
York is in love with her, and I will tell you in confiis
intention,
friend,
is
in
her chamber.'
"
'
result
The adventure
in
"
became
Park
Countess.
267
March,
in
back
And
her
in
coach
asleep,
"
being
" most
devilishly painted."
The
at
the
Forfarshire
Kinnaird Castle.
It is
seat
of
the
is
pre-
Carnegies,
life size
by Lely representing
her as Venus, with her son Charles (afterwards the
The paintfourth Earl) as Cupid kneeling beside her.
Hampton Court
of Frances Brooke,
whom
we
of
Lady Whitmore,
speak elsewhere, was
"
Beauties of the Court
engraved for Mrs. Jameson's
ing by Lely at
of Charles
II.," as
named
in
James
sister,"
whereas
II. 's
the
"
Lady Denham's
catalogue as
Countess of Southesk's portrait
12,
App.
pt.
ii,
p. 17.
8EVEXTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
268
"
The
girlish
and almost
would have
wrongly
it
this
edition of the
1 1
The
was
original paint-
is
copied
unquestionably
Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine, the wellknown portrait of the head resting on the hand, of
Elizabeth
Butler,
the
second
wife
of
wife
The
Narford, as Mrs.
Jameson says, is unquestionably the Countess of
Chesterfield, but not the lady of whom she writes,
original
painting
by Lely
at
who was
least
of
irre-
it,
left
upon
The
later.
cd., p. 229.
II.,"
1861
269
other
many
ladies
his
wholesale
flirtations
him
caused
considerable
un-
wonder
that
easiness.
With
domestic
couple so constituted
it is little
The Duchess of
resulted.
disagreements
"After the having been so long in a mist of misfortunes, and the being so misunderstood that I hardly
hoped to refind the way to your Grace's favour, it was
far
from an unwelcomed
ladyship's letter
suspend a
received by your
you are pleased to
light that
whereby
judgment, which,
if
see
once given,
should no
mee
to."
The trouble this time had resulted from the unwelcome attentions of the Duke of York, whom Pepys
tells us, in
'
November of
much
26.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
270
"
the Duchess of
Chesterfield
my Lady
that
removed
This
but in
May
she was
act
sarcastic wit
far
more
dignified
in
than in
all
it
probability
at
Court.
was
would
" This
day" (January
Clarke
going
and
taking
his
lady
It
(my Lord
Ormond's
seems
Duke
wronged
in his
AMKS
II
271
stand the reason of the complaint, and that was all that
passed ; but my Lord did presently pack his lady into
Devil's Peake
To
a lively
for that
after the
The
mansion was old and ruinous, for the Earl had not yet
started his lavish restorations and improvements which
in later years made it one of the most sumptuous
i
edifices in
England.
One can almost picture the young Countess in her
gloomy but picturesque surroundings, like Amy Robsart
his
Countess of Devonshire
" Tho' Hardwicke is one of
lines to the
some
years afterwards
the finest and noblest places in England, yet I doubt
that Darbyshire can aff'ord but small divertions to
'
been employed
summer
Lord Arlington,
in rebuilding of
says
"I have
ruinous house,
and I hope to finish by the latter end of this month, and soon after
to begin my journey to London."
(Letter-Book of Philip, second
all this
my
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
272
own
We
sive.
of the
most
agreeable
women
in
the
world.
She
'
p, 146.
273
in
point of
sincerity"
sensi-
*'
knew how to heighten
bility and delicacy "... and
her charms with all the bewitching attractions in the
power of
woman
to
invent,
who
wishes
make
to
a conquest."
who
him
to cure
him of
his vanity
ton
received
complaining
of
impassable roads,
letter
from
the
Countess
bitterly
with
melancholy surroundings
rocks, and precipices without, and
her
week
From
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
274
It
was
winter,
and
as
at length
began to
flag,
and
after
drew on the
night
many
discomforts
in
the
down
in
in
message from
slept two hours
him
afforded
retreat joining, as
called his host, to
hunting,
lord
said
he,
He
his park.
'
in
The
'
What
Earl
of
great surprise.
He was so asChesterfield,' replied the peasant.
head under the
his
he
hid
at
this
that
first
at
tonished
.''
bedclothes,
entering with
275
all
his
ceding night."'
Lady
this point.
Chesterfield, but
from a
was
his
The
house
The
still
earlier
Lord Chesterfield,
1780.2
lived in retirement there in his later
years, rebuilt
a great part of it, and
planned the old gardens after
in
who
greenhouses,
Countess.
Nor
"Memoirs
of Count de Gramont."
Sec Kip's view of it in the author's edition of the " Memoirs
of Count dc Gramont."
"
3
Lysons'
Derbyshire," p. 240.
'
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
276
something to make
know
it
pleasint.
me
better
will assure
you I
than hearing from
I
suppose my Lady
you, writ whatever you will.
Dencell's discretion will lett her be a little decent this
God
winter.
Pray
packed out of their heaven London."" The misdeeds of her predecessor and her punishment are here
She did not, however, die
unmistakably alluded to.
at Bretby, but at Wellingborough, where she had
are
to
of health.
Jameson's "Beauties of the Court
200.
p.
^
of
ed.,
MAKi.AKKI' HKdOKK.
I,\l'\
HKMIAM
TWOHampton
at
and
Frances
of Sir
daughters
"Windsor Beauties"
WilHam Brooke,
the grandson of
of
Sir
her elder
two.
sister,
The engraving
an entirely
notices
family
likeness
in
the
original
canvases,
277
as
the
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
278
especially
the
strongly-marked
Of
the
of Frances
career
eyebrows
and
dark
sisters.
little
Merry Monarch
first
Lady
a quarter.
But
Castlemaine, fearing a
a stop to
her
advances
of anybody
is
in
sister,
she married.
so
whom
fly
Thomas
family,
ante^ pp.
260-1).
FRANXK? nROOKF.
Ain"
\VHn">rORE
279
'
fifty,
More
given
Duke
he soon got a
rude awakening, for barely a year after he was united
to the beauty, her ambition was to be publicly acknowof York.
Be that
as
it
may
be,
his
to,
new
mistresse,
my Lady Denham,
going
at
owned
stairs,
The
the
but will
be
diarist
"
Duke of York
all
Sir
He
to
is
macic out to be
much
280
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
reason.
His
to the premature
natural causes.
The
much
Lady Denham, who
latter's death,
in the case of
however, was
On November
Lady Denham
two months
10,
is
We
hear nothing
although she was better.
"
Denham
is at last
further until January 7th.
Lady
" Some
dead," says Pepys.
suspect her poisoned, but
it will be best known when her
body is opened, which
dead,
found. "i
My
p.
219.
no
as
281
is
known, had
According to
grudge against
Gramont, Sir John ran some risk of being roughly
handled, as public feeling went very much against him,
her.
particular
Yard
any burial
at
in
Eng-
The young
of the chancel
March, 1668-69,
From
the antiquary
Aubrey we
He describes him as
description of Sir John Denham.
being tall with rather bent shoulders, with a limp in his
long, ungainly stride.
He
had
fair
'
N.B, Aubrey cannot
Aubrey's "Letters of Eminent Men,"
have meant the Countess or Rochester at that date, who would
have been the mother of John Wilraot, the second Earl. He
later date,
Anne Hyde's
sister-
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
282
He looked
strange piercing look in his light grey eyes.
older than he really was by some twenty years or more,
which perhaps was the result of dissipation in his youth,
gaming table and other diversions to
" He
when
he
was at Oxford University.
his books
was generally temperate in drinking, but one time when
for he preferred the
came
and
next day, as
it
was
in
term time
but
it
happened
some moneys.
Estcourt, Esquire,
ing to the writer,
who carried
Denham was
it
cost
the inkpot."
Accord-
such.
was
prisoner, and
England."
some of
This
It
in
at least
for
that
of the majority
283
him by
Christopher Wren.
after
two geniuses,
Denham, aware
the
The
John Webb.
was
by him.
built
first
Sir
first
of Gloucestershire).
The
Hampton
mother
is
husband,
physician,
The
unknown.
date
She
of the
death
predeceased
Mathew Harvey,
who died in 1690.
of
her
her
second
Upon
her
monument
in
a Derbyshire
bourne
baronet.
Hall, which
Charlie's headquarters
'
Sir
in
the
when he came
so far south on
See ante,
p.
261.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
284
his
described by her
Of
Hill's
a descendant, Pene-
monumental
lope Boothby,
inscription as being " in form most exquisite," an assertion
fully borne out by her graceful sculptured figure.
Among
II.
whose
Court to
In a similar way
she
was
is
far
Miss Lawson's
shire,
Musgrave
too modest. 2
was created
a baronet in 1665,
'^
Thomas Howard, 3
MISS
LAWSON
LAWSON
MISS
285
the
second
position.
But
it
may be presumed
that
" Mrs."
Lawson
did not succumb to the temptations, otherwise the probamore about her. As it
bility is we should have heard
name
her
is
rarely occurs in
contemporary writings.
who
The
particular lady
there is said to have
in
age of ninety-three.
be
left
in
uncertainty.
or married,
" Mrs." Lawson
the veil
who
Anne Howe's
hand,
^
Sir
William Musgrave
Wife of James
ante, pp.
Stuart,
third
asserts
Duke
that
the
of Richmond.
five
See also
173-4.
Ibid., pt.
ii.
p. 85.
12,
App.
pt.
ii.
p. 64.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
286
daughters of Sir
York.
In
Court
John Lawson
all
become nuns
at
expression
sweeter
than
many of
the fashionable
"
ladies of the period
surrounding her in the
Beauty
Room."
in
calling
James
11. ,
II. 's
II. 's
the wife
reign, or in that of
head physician,
of the great
handsome daughter of
eventually became
who
also at
Hampton Court,
of
character'and
was less
possessed greater strength
than
Miss
Lawson.
Her
father, Sir
unassuming
capacities.
Evelyn's Correspondence.
CAKKV FRASKK
COUNTESS OF PP:tKK HOROlICH
MISS FRASER
met with much censure
opinion
at
the
287
Nor was
time.'
his
of the
was not
in
as
"
is
marched
off
Honour
to the
Colonel
Edward
Among
'
Vide "Louise
dc
Keroualle," p. 80.
3
Probably the daughter of Tom Elliot, groom of the bedchamber
to Charles II.
The lady, however, may have been his second wife,
in
Worcester Fight,"
4
Verney Papers,
p.
239.
Hist.
7,
App.
p.
496.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
288
diminutive
Rochester,
scribe
rival
of
" Half
witty and half mad, and scarce half brave,
Half honest (which is very near a knave).
Made up
of
all
ass."
'
But though
this
velvet,
embroidered and
calculations.
The
clothes
justify such
last
night,"
unromantic
says
Lady
" at
Chaworth, writing on the sixteenth of the month,
the Queene's birth-night bail was infinite rich, especially
M'^
Phraser,
of gold and
silver
gold lace
over.
all
all
all
for
gowne black
worke
a quarrel
between
Sir
Carr and
her
beauty)
in
ii.
p. 37.
the
32.
MISS FRASER
289
But
is
attack
was a
little
borough,2
" the
given to gallantry
on earth," according
to Swift, but for all that very
polished in manner and a
besides
a
famous soldier. After
good husband,
being
the decease of his Countess, who died in
1709 of quinsy,
he became enamoured of the singer, Anastasia
Robinson,
whom he privately married in 1722, but she was not
acknowledged as the Countess of Peterborough until
the year of her death thirteen years afterwards.
As previously stated, Carey Fraser represents one of
"
the full-length Kneller " Beauties at
Hampton Court
the
III.'s
queen to
second queen by
OF
the
two
beauties,
La
Valliere and
Montespan,
the latter
Madame,
as
Montespan was
reserved.
La
and simple-minded
but ill adapted to the position she was raised to.
girl,
La Valliere was a blonde, famous for her soft and
ambition
Valliere a
sincere
Montes-
first
more
brilliant
as she
had been.
had tears
much
troubled
with
a conscience,
290
and with
all
his
LOUISE DE LA \ALI.1KRE
LOULSE DE LA \ALI.IERE
291
selfish
could
ill
marked
attention,
had been
kindled in her
flattered, for
fire
attractions of
own
heart.
the Duchess,
Madame,
grew
less in his
La
Valliere
to resign
her
attempt
immediately
at
went
in
search
of
the
runaway,
and
La
Valliere once
more was
installed
in
Madame's
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
292
Madame
separate establishment at the Palais Brion.
de Montespan relates the story of how the young
Marquis de Bragelonne, desperately in love with La
ValHere before her fall, went abroad to seek his fortune
that he might lay
laden with riches
dismay that
his
Duchesse," the
at
it
old
Heart-broken, he
mistress.
King's
wood
his body.
de Vaujours and De La
Valliere was given to Louise shortly after the birth of
her daughter, Mademoiselle de Blois,i afterwards
The
of Duchess
title
Her
Princess de Conti.
first
Louis, born
child
in
him
again.
for
first infatuation
It
La
was some
Valliere
six
that
But we
shall
rival,
her in as amiable a
have deadly
how
eff"ect.
towards
knew how
to please
where her
rival
Louis.
Mademoiselle de
Blois, the
King's daughter
by Madame
witli
found
far
more pleasure
293
who was
slight
in
form and
little
lame.
The
accomplished.
relief
boredom
She is
King, grew suddenly suspicious and uneasy.
candour itself, and one day, bursting into tears, she said
me
to
in
that
voice
peculiar
to
her
'
alone,
steal
For
away the
'
Poor La
when
Valliere's idealistic
dream was
at
an end
Versailles,
Much
for
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
294
member of one of
the
first
The Marchioness
otherwise particularly remarkable.
considered herself far and away his superior, mentally.
reminds one of Marie Bashkirtseff. " I
Her
conceit
upon me
something
which drew
men of
taste.
good
my person
intelligence
says,
Had my
made
a choice
worthy
it,
alike of
my
my
At
this
same tendency
assert
their independence.
on
For
a time the
Marquis
with
His
little
son, the
many attempts
to
borne
as a necessary evil,
COUNT
MADAME
I)E
l)K
VRKMAN'DOIS
MONTESPAN
295
died in infancy.
In his
usual
theatrical
way
and
and
Saint-Denis,
ecclesiastical attire
with
But
painted on the panels of their regal carriages.
one of them at least rebelled against the ceremonies
of their calling. When after the nomination of the
second Comte the monks of Saint-Denis came forward
to
make
siderable
their
obeisance, the
offence
little
if
Abbe caused
were
con-
devils
by asking
they
Louis Auguste, Due du Maine, of whom his mother
was so proud that she said she could never be blamed
in the
a being,
was born
perfect
He grew up to be a
1670,
too good-natured a youth, and
in
after
to succeed him.
his
He
died in
1736.
Mademoiselle de
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
296
mother, was
full
like her
afterwards
He
was such
cousin, the
haughty
specially
on a
floating
God
of the Sea,
pearl shell.
de Conti,
lived
to
her as
disposition.
The
Marchioness
describes
possible to
imagine.
Her
slim,
graceful
goddesses
figure
with
it
is
re-
whom
her
mother and
their
constant
close
companionship
have doubtless served to quicken her intelligence and
Like the King, she is somewhat grave
penetration.
she has the same large brown eyes, and just his
;
Austrian
lip,
almost his
his
r.
297
In his military
although he was shorter in stature.
Louis
training he bid fair to make a fine soldier.
camp of
teenth
he then being only in his sevenWith his decease his post of High
his death,
year.
Admiral passed,
Comte
de Toulouse.
La
Valliere
meanwhile had
retired
ever.
The
pain of parting
generous disposition lay in the fact that she showed but Rttle resentment to the treacherous way in which her friend had
supplanted her.
We
former favourite
The
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
298
Valliere cherished
no resentment
her
children
the
Montespan
her
place.
Scarron
To
owed
when
she
succeeded
and afterwards
well on the
way
her
the
as
to
fifty.
patroness,
King's
legal
first
as mistress
wife,
she
was
in
not so
much
into prominence.
King Louis
at first
of her reserved and dignified mien, but in his intercourse with his children under her charge it was not
long before her insinuating but respectful manner won
his esteem.
Nobody could converse on almost any
with
such
fluency and animation, moreover, she
subject
had the
tact
a philosopher.
MADK.MOISELLK DK FON'TANGES
MARQUISE DK MAINTENON
299
Marquise de Montespan
But on her side
became embittered against her.
Maintenon rarely resented the affronts that Athenais
Influence
increased
so
the
When
was
clearly
made
to understand
These
time.
abandoned
his
learned
debates
with
even
in
decent respect.
One wonders
Queen
300
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
girl
deserved, but
it
stool
was
day of
bitter humiliation
after
who had
down very
her
gently
to
forgive
the
;
triumph
of
still
the
former
a liking for
301
country in
to
his
coach.
the
after so
long an absence.
On May
livres.
Marquis de
"
Dangeau enters in his diary, Before the King set out
for the chase we learned that Madame de Montespan
The
bequest, however, never reached its destination.
boatman who had charge of the casket was afraid of
infection
La
Valliere
" Louise de
ill
"
and
The
la
outlived
the
Misericorde
Marquise three
felt
years.
herself yesterday very
in great
and who
is
taking
the waters.
her arms
life
and of
however,
She
affection.
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
302
like a
Saint
and up to the
had
married
the
The
youngest daughter.
her husband was Madame
Marquise de
pet
d'Orleans
as before
Montespan's
name given
to her
by
famous beauty
"Memoirs
is
title
more than
she.
ii.
This
own
p. 231.
303
Of
the
latter
:
my
being
known
as the
polite, as I
why
thought, to
she did not
diversion.
'
cence,
was
face
'
I
suppose,' replied I, in complete innothat your mother was
Her
jealous of you.'
all
scarlet in
I
very hastily withdrew and
with
me " ^
my politeness along
Judging from a miniature of the Duchess by Boit, in
took
fine
painting of her by Largilliere was lent to the
Portrait Exhibition of the Palais du Trocadero in
1878,
sweetest expression.
'
"
The
In the
loan
exhibition here of
latter to
804
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BEAUTIES
Grignan and de
la
Ninon de L'Enclos.
Made-
INDEX
Bcale,
Anne, Princess,
Jas., 215
Beauclerc, Lady, sec
Vere.
Beaufort,
Beauvais,
225
B
Bagot, Mar}',
set'
Countess of Fal-
mouth
Bainer, Baron de, 21
Diana
De
Due de, 77
Mme. de, 16
Arran, Earl
St.
Albans
Beauclerc,
254
Anglesey, Lady, 85
Anne
223, 249
mouth
Berkeley, Countess
of, 246
Berkeley, Sir Jno., 29, 30
Berkshire, Earl of, 209
Berni, Marquis de, 240
Bertie, Chas.,
Bertie,
49
Lady Mary,
78, 124
INDEX
306
Bolton, Duchess
of, 259
Boothby, Sir Brooke, 283
Boroski, a Pole, 56, 58, 59
Boughton House, Northants, 25
Bouillon, Duchessc de, xo, 26
Boyle, Henrietta,'
1 1
Sftf
Butler,
Countess
see
Eliz.,
of
Chesterfield
.Butler,
Countess of
Rochester
Mme.
de, 28
Cardigan, Earl
Carew,
Carlingford,
Taaffe
Earl
Countess
of,
Carlisle,
Castlemainc, Countess
Brooke,
Shrewsbury
of,
3,
18,
288
of,
169-172, 176,
Buckingham, Duke
Castlemaine, Earl
281, 284
Lord
261
of,
see
Caylus,
Mme.
de, 201
11, 12,
19-22, 27,
70-
146, 150,
Bulkcley, Sopliia, 94
287
Busficld,
Anne. 145
INDEX
Chaworth, Lady,
Eliz.
Lady
of,
268-275
Cheveley Park, Cambs, 74
Chevening Park, Kent, 272
Wm.,
102, 221
301
Warwickshire,
Abbey,
90, 203
260, 283
272
Cowdray House,
Cranbourne, Lord, 50
Chute, Chaloner, 50
Cirencester House,
Gloucester-
shire,
1 1
Sussex, 157
Monmouth
256, 286
Earl of, sec
Clarendon,
Hy.,
Viscount Cornbury
Cleveland, Duchess of, see Countess
of Castlemaine
8, 10,
90
Clarendon, Earl
32
Earl
Chiflinch,
Coombe
Dormer
Chesterfield,
Colonna, Princess,
Lady
Anne Percy
Chesterfield, Countess of, see
307
D
Dalkeith,
see
Lady,
Countess of
Morton
Dalkeith
Scotland,
Palace,
162,
254. 259
Dalziel, Genl., 157
Cobham
Denham,
183, 190
De
Colonna, Prince,
Digby, Francis,
15, 17
10
INDEX
308
Falmouth, Earl
Fanshawe, Mrs.,
Donington
of,
see
Mary Walter
Countess
Dorchester,
Catherine Sedley
of,
178
see
Anne,
Countess of
see
Sussex
Fitzroy, Barbara, 183
Fitzroy,
see
Charles,
Dorset, Earl
of
see
Lord,
Dover,
Jermyn
the
younger
Duke's Head, The, Windsor, 221H
Dunham Massey, Cheshire, go
Dysart House, Fife, 133
Gascar,
Marquis
d',
40, 43,
44
Elizabeth, Princess, 30
Elliot, Mrs., 287
121, 124
67;;,
Evelyn,
J no.,
3,
25,
91,
191;;
Eliot, Thos., 74
Enmore, Somersetshire,
Henry, painter,
Goodman,
Goodwood House,
Grafton, Duclicss
Grafton,
Duke
129, 146
of, 64,
of,
178;;,
189
188,
189,
191H, 238
Gramont, Comte
Sussex, 90
Falmouth, Countess
of, 68,
12-1 17
Gramont, Comtcsse
'
^
"
231
Effiat,
Duke
Southampton
dc, 192-201
INDEX
Gramont, Claude Charlotte de,
see
Viscountess Stafford
Gramont, Mary Elizabeth de, 201,
202
309
100,
Z35,
142,
241
Henrietta, Princess, see
of Orleans
Herbert,
Hill, Sir
Gwyn,
H
Hagley
Gramont
Hamilton, Sir Geo., no, 197, 198,
246
Hamilton, Col. Jas., 178, 197, 198,
273-275
Hamilton, J no., 198
Hamilton, Rich., 198
Hampton
2,
29-33,
Wm., Lord,
Duchess
121
Moyses, 277
Hinchinbrooke House, Huntingdon, 25, 126
Hinchinbrooke, Lord, see E^rl of
Sandwich
Holland House, Kensington, 91
Holywell House, Herts, 244, 249
Holmes, Sir Robt., 230
of Berk-
shire
Huysman,
Jas., painter,
98
Lawrence,
Rochester
Hyde,
see
Hyde, Theodosia,
Cornbury
Earl
of
Viscountess
Duke
York
Hanmcr,
James
Henby,
Mr., 87
II., see
of
INDEX
310
Jennings, Sarah, see
Duchess of
Marlborough
Jermyn, Hy.,see Earl of St. Albans
Jermyn, Hy. the younger, 74, 114,
117, 118, 178, 181, 225-228,
246
Pembroke
Killigrew,
ess of
Louis XIV.,
235, 290-302
Louvois, M. de, 8, 78
Lyttelton, Lady, see Anne
Temple
289
Knipp
240
14/1,
M
Maintenon, Mme.
de,
161,
201,
298-300, 302
Colonna
INDEX
311
Morton, Countess
Motteville,
Mary
of
Modena,
18,
19,
198,
29-31
la,
200
Mme.
de, 33
Myddelton,
no,
of,
Mothe-Houdancourt, Lucy de
Myddelton
260
261
Mancini
Mazarin, Duchesse de, family, 26
Mazarin, Due de (Due de Meilleraye), 2, 6-12, 17, 24
Mignard, Paul, painter, 25, 90
Monaco, Prince of, 4, 19
Monmouth, Duke
no,
259
256
66h, 67, 68
Duke
215
161,
250
Peterborough
O
Oatlands Palace, Surrey, 3a
O'Brien, Lord, 109
Ogle, Countess of, see Duchess of
Somerset
Ogle, Earl of, 48, 60
O'Neale, Daniel, 138, 141
Orange, Princess of, 135
INDEX
312
Orleans,
Duke
of,
31, 32,
34, 35,
37-44
ig6,
Popham,
197, 263
Orrery,
Ossory,
Osterly
Oxford,
Oxford,
Lord, 280
Portsmouth, Duchess
215
Countess, see Diana Kirke.
of,
279
Price, Henrietta, see Mrs. Stanhope
Palmer, Roger,
maine
Ramsey,
23h
180,
206-208,211,218,226,
sec
Kildare
Rawlins, Col. Giles, 227
Raynham Hall, Norfolk, 109
of, 173,
of
Essex
Countess
Percy,
Peterborough,
Miss Eraser
Mrs., 67
Richmond, Chas.
Stuart,
Duke
of,
Richmond, James
Stuart,
Duke
of,
i73, 285
83
INDEX
Richmond
Dowager Countess
of,
125
Rochester,
J no.,
Earl
of, 49,
104,
288
of,
117-
12,
13
Rushbrooke
Sandwich, Earl
123, 127,
of,
121,
Mary Walter
Comte
Sault,
100,
95,
256
de, 78
121-124, 127
Rochester, Henrietta, Countess
117, 118, 121, 151, 281
Rochester,
313
Edw., 278
Rutland, Countess of,
Russell,
49, 64
Ruvigny, Marquis de, 95, 151
261,
288
Sedley, Sir Chas., 212, 231
Sevigne, Mme. de, 76, 78, 79
Soissons,
Comtesse
42
Somerset, Duchess of, 47-69, 112
Somerset, Duke of, 51, 61-63, 65
32, 36,
St.
St,
Saint-Chaumont,
Mme.
de,
40
Saint-Evremond, M, de,
23,25
i,
18, 21,
M. de, 158-160
Samborne, Mr., 146
Sandford Manor House, Chelsea,
Saint-Victor,
216
of,
264-266
197,
92-1
208
Stuart,
1,
122,
123,
Giacomo, 132
178,
179,
3U
INDEX
165, 173"
48
Sussex, Earl
185
52, 65, 265
Varelst,
Simon,
painter,
90,
91,
220, 250
Marquis de, 40
Anne, see Countess
of
Morton
Taaffc, Lord, 135, 138, 142
Talbot, Chas., sec Duke of Shrews-
Countess of
Villiers,
Duke
of
Countess of Dcr-
78,
290-293,
W
Walpole House, Chiswick,
184/j,
190
Walter, Lucy, 128-146, 188
Walter, Mary, 142-144
Walter, Wm., 130, 145
Warcup, Miss, see Lady Price
181, 185,
V
Louise de
Vallicre,
dison
Vincent, Sir Francis, 8r
118
Tudor, Mary,
wcntwatcr
Edw., 287
Edw., 29, 165
Wm., sec Viscount Gran-
Villiers, Sir
Tyrconnel
Temple, Lady, 53
Temple, Anne, 239, 250, 251
303
see
Villiers, Col.
bury
Talbot, Lord Jno., 238
Talbot, Sir Jno., 231
Talbot, Col. Rich., sec
42,
Barbara,
Castlemaine
Villiers,
la,
296-299, 301,
Whitmore,
Hrookc
Whitmore,
283
Lady,
Frances,
see
Frances
260,
278?;,
INDEX
Whitmorc, Sir Thos., 278
Wilbraham, Eliz., 260
Wilton House, Wilts, 90
Windsor Castle, 27, 68, 84, i^yt
Wissing,
286
Wm.,
painter,
68,
112,
Eliz,,
it'c
Ds. of
Somerset
Hyde),
York,
115, 119,
William,
dramatist,
'85
Wyndham,
Wriothcsley, Lady
Wycherley,
315
Sir
Wm.,
63, 65
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