Part 14 (2/2)
The indulgent monarch loved peace; and as he seldo to obtain it, he was obliged to be at great expense, in order to reconcile this last rupture: as they could not agree of themselves, and both parties equally complained, the Chevalier de Grammont was chosen, by rievances and pretensions on each side were coed so as to please thereed to:
”That Lady Castlemaine should for ever abandon Jermyn; that as a proof of her sincerity, and the reality of his disgrace, she should consent to his being sent, for some tiainst Miss Wells, nor storainst Miss Stewart; and this without any restraint on the king's behaviour towards her that in consideration of these condescensions, his ive her the title of duchess, with all the honours and privileges thereunto belonging, and an addition to her pension, in order to enable her to support the dignity”
[The title of duchess of Cleveland was conferred on her 3rd August, 22 Charles II, 1670]
As soon as this peace was proclaimed, the political critics, who, in all nations, never fail to censure all state proceedings, pretended that theevery day at play with Lady Castle, had, for his own sake, insisted a little too strongly upon this last article
Some days after, she was created duchess of Cleveland, and little Jermyn repaired to his country-seat: however, it was in his power to have returned in a fortnight; for the Chevalier de Gra's permission, carried it to the Earl of St Alban's: this revived the good old man; but it was to little purpose he transmitted it to his nephew; for whether he wished to make the London beauties deplore and laainst the injustice of the age, or rail against the tyranny of the prince, he continued above half a year in the country, setting up for a little philosopher, under the eyes of the sportsarded him as an extraordinary instance of the caprice of fortune
He thought the part he acted so glorious, that he would have continued there s: he did not, however, payher charreat in others: as related to hireater consequence; and to subdue the last, he even looked upon as an action worthy of his prowess; and quitting his retreat for this purpose, he arrived in London at the time that Talbot, as really in love, had quarrelled, in his opinion, so unjustly with Miss Jennings
She had heard Jerallantry Miss Price, in the recital of those of the duchess of Cleveland, had oftenthe insignificancy hich fame insinuated he had conducted hireatest curiosity to see atrophy, and monument of the favours and freedoht tih his brilliancy appeared a little tarnished by his residence in the country; though his head was larger, and his legs ht she had never seen anyto her destiny, she fell in love with him, a thousand times more unaccountably than all the others had done before her Everybody ree of conduct in her with surprise; for they expected so more from the delicacy of a person who, till this time, had behaved with so much propriety in all her actions
Jerh not a little proud of it; for his heart had very soon as great a share in it as his vanity Talbot, who saith arace of his own defeat, was ready to die with jealousy and spite; yet he thought it would be more to his credit to die than to vent those passions unprofitably; and shi+elding hined indifference, he kept at a distance to vie far such an extravagant prepossession would proceed
In thethe inclinations of the prettiest and land declared in his favour The duchess, who had taken her under her protection ever since she had declined placing herself under that of the duke, sounded Jermyn's intentions towards her, and was satisfied with the assurances she received from a man, whose probity infinitely exceeded his merit in love: he therefore let all the court see that he illing to h, at the sa the consus upon having reduced to this situation the terror of husbands, and the plague of lovers: the court was in full expectation of thishappy settlement: but in this world one must have fortune in one's favour, before one can calculate with certainty upon happiness
The king did not use to let Lord Rochester re displeased that he was forgotten, he posted up to London to wait till it ht be his majesty's pleasure to recall hi the capital tradesmen and rich merchants, where politeness indeed is not so much cultivated as at court; but where pleasure, luxury, and abundance reign with less confusion, and n was only to be initiated into the mysteries of those fortunate and happy inhabitants: that is to say, by changing his naain admittance to their feasts and entertain spouses; as he was able to adapt himself to all capacities and humours, he soon deeply insinuated himself into the esteem of the substantial wealthy aldernificent, and tender ladies: he made one in all their feasts, and at all their assemblies; and, whilst in the coainst the faults and ainst the profligacy of the court ladies, and in inveighing against the king's reed with them, that the industrious poor were to pay for these cursed extravagances; that the city beauties were not inferior to those of the other end of the town, and yet a sober husband in this quarter of the toas satisfied with one wife; after which, to out-do their s, he said, that he wondered Whitehall was not yet consurew, and Sidney were suffered there, who had the impudence to assert that all married men in the city were cuckolds, and all their wives painted This conduct endeared him so much to the cits, and rew sick of their cra and endless invitations
But, instead of approaching nearer the court, he retreated into one of theboth his name and his dress, in order to act a new part, he caused bills to be dispersed, giving notice of ”The recent arrival of a fa application and experience, had found out wonderful secrets, and infallible re under an unlucky accident, which obliged hiuised himself so, that his nearest friends could not have known him, and set up in Tower Street for an Italian mountebank, where he practised physic for some weeks, not without success In his latter years he read books of history uise hiar; sometimes to follow some mean amours, which, for the variety of them, he affected At other tio about in odd shapes; in which he acted his part so naturally, that even those ere in the secret, and saw hiht be discovered”--Burnet's Life of Rochester, ed 1774, p 14]
His secrets consisted in knoas past, and foretelling as to coy: and the virtue of his re present relief to unfortunate young women in all manner of diseases, and all kinds of accidents incident to the fair sex, either froreat indulgence to thehbourhood, was not very considerable; but his reputation soon extending to the other end of the town, there presently flocked to hi on the court, next, the chamber-maids of ladies of quality, who, upon the wonders they related concerning the German doctor, were soon followed by so all the compositions of a ludicrous and satirical kind, there never existed any that could be compared to those of Lord Rochester, either for huenious and entertaining is that which contains a detail of the intrigues and adventures in which he was engaged while he professed y in the suburbs of London
The fair Jennings was very near getting a place in this collection; but the adventure that prevented her from it, did not, however, conceal fro a visit to the German doctor
The first chamber-maids that consulted him were only those of the maids of honour; who had numberless questions to ask, and not a few doubts to be resolved, both upon their own and their uise, he recognised some of them, particularly Miss Temple's and Miss Price's maids, and her whom Miss Hobart had lately discarded: these creatures all returned either filled onder and amazement, or petrified with terror and fear Miss Temple's chamber-maid deposed that he assured her she would have the sreat, within two ainst a man in woman's clothes Miss Price's wo in her hand, he told her at first sight that, according to the course of the stars, he perceived that she was in the service of so wine and men In short, every one of the to their own private affairs, had either alar, according to custom, to embellish the truth, in order to enhance the wonder
Miss Price, relating these circumstances one day to her new friend, the devil io in person, and see what sort of a creature this new ician was This enterprise was certainly very rash; but nothing was too rash for Miss Jennings, as of opinion that a woht despise appearances, provided she was in reality virtuous
Miss Price was all colorious resolution, they only thought of the properit into execution
It was very difficult for Miss Jennings to disguise herself, on account of her excessive fair and bright co particular in her air andwell considered the uise they could think of was to dress theirls
[These frolics appear to have been not unfrequent with persons of high rank at this period In a letter from Mr Henshaw to Sir Robert Paston, afterwards Earl of Yar account: ”Last week, there being a faire neare Audley-end, the queen, the Dutchess of Richuise themselves like country lasses, to red petticoats, wastcotes, &c, and so goe see the faire Sir Barnard Gascoign, on a cart jade, rode before the queen; another stranger before the Dutchess of Buckingham; and Mr
Roper before Richuise, and looked so much more like antiques than country volk, that, as soon as they caoe after the to a booth, to buy a pair of yellow stockings for her sweet hart, and Sir Bernard asking for a pair of gloves sticht with blew, for his sweet hart, they were soon, by their gebrish, found to be strangers, which drew a bigger flock about thest them had seen the queen at dinner, knew her, and was proud of her knowledge This soon brought all the faire into a crowd to stare at the queen Being thus discovered, they, as soon as they could, got to their horses; but as ot up, with their wives, children, sweet harts, or neighbours, behind theht theate Thus, by ill conduct, was a merry frolick turned into a penance”--I've's Select Papers, p 39
Bishop Burnet says, ”at this tiance inand queen, all the court, went about masked, and careat deal of wild frolic In all this people were so disguised, that, without being in the secret, none could distinguish them They were carried about in hackney chairs Once the queen's chair who she ent from her So she was alone, and was much disturbed, and came to Whitehall in a hackney coach; some say in a cart”--Burnet's History, vol i, p 368]
This was no sooner resolved upon, but it was put in execution they attired thees under their arms, they embarked in a hackney coach, and committed themselves to fortune, without any other escort than their own caprice and indiscretion