638 Monmouth's unsatisfactory relations with Women.

acquiring an influence. Her husband, in the petulance which speedily grew into bitter animosity against his supposed uncle, forbade the further interchange of visits. It became absolutely impossible for Anne to remain ignorant of the numerous infidelities of her husband. For one mistress, who had thrown over both himself and the Duke of York, he quarrelled with Sheffield, and withheld from him a command in the Guards; to be requited by the successful rival doing his utmost to prejudice the mind of York against him. We have seen how he punished Miss Trevor, revengefully causing her to be seduced by his creature Tom Thynne of Longleat, for her having detected Monmouth in a gross intrigue with another lady. What became of his connection with "Mrs. Eleanor Needham," of Great Russell Street, whom he had visited until 1683, when he was watched by a State-spy, has been already recorded. Also the other notorious intrigue, with Lady Grey, continually mentioned in lampoons of the time. The only true love affair among them all was in the case of the Lady Henrietta Wentworth (see the section headed "Monmouth at Toddington "). At his execution he emphatically declared that there "had been no sin" between them; but this must be understood simply to mean that he considered the love uniting them was a sufficient absolution, making them virtually man and wife in the sight of heaven. He held this view, and had persuaded her to believe it (despite the fact, well known to her, of his having a lawful wife already in Anne Scott, the mother of his only legitimate children). Not that it was a platonic attachment, pure and spiritual, for Lady Henrietta Wentworth was said to have borne him a child. As she had remained in Holland when he started on his fatal expedition, with money raised upon her jewels and his own, she was unable to see him at the last: she was certainly remaining in Holland at the beginning of August, 1685, for her letter to Sir William Smith was seized by the Mayor of Dover. She survived the execution of her lover for nine months only. She had drooped hopelessly, and was glad to die. But we are here anticipating the end.

1 She was a favourite at Court, but her life was often darkened by her husband falling out of favour. In Rochester's Farewell her sprightliness of speech and solid judgement are mentioned in contrast to the attractions of the Duchess of Mazarine, who had arrived in 1675. The word banish'd marks 1680: This last doth banish'd Monmouth's place supply, And Wit supplanted is by Letchery.

For Monmouth she had Parts, and Wit, and Sense,
To all which Mazarine had no pretence:

A proof that, since such things as she prevail,
Her Highness' Head is lighter than her Tail.

Coarse, but instructive. Even Rochester's imitators are not valueless. History like Science can draw her richest dyes from refuse, like your mauve from coal-tar.

True cause of "Dear Limp's" lameness.

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Her mother, Lady Wentworth, caused a monument to be erected to her memory, where she had once been happy and now lay buried, at Toddington, expending on it the sum of two thousand pounds. Since then, throughout two centuries, a pilgrimage of lovers has been paid there, not to the stately tomb, but to the faithful and broken heart.

Note on the Duchess of Monmouth's Lameness.

An account of the accident from which the Duchess Anne Scott never fully recovered is given by Samuel Pepys, who carefully noted the evil result which stopped her favourite amusement at the Whitehall Court Balls. She continued to attend them, although unable to dance: as her husband spitefully remembered in his last days. Pepys, in his Diary (the Bickers' edition, 1877), mentions, December 29, 1662,-"The Duke of Monmouth with his little Mistress [Lady Anne Scott], which is very little and like my brother-in-law's wife." [But he was not created Duke until February, 1663.] April 20, 1663.-Married at Whitehall, in the King's Chamber. She acted in Dryden's "Indian Emperour," January 13th, 1663, at Court, where she and Henrietta Maria Cornwallis (sister of le beau Cornwallis, who in after years became Anne's second husband,) were "the only ladies who acted well." May 8, 1668, the Duchess sprained her thigh, while dancing at her lodgings. During the same month it had to be set again, after much pain." On the 15th of July she was "still lame, and likely always to be so, which is a sad chance for a young Lady to get, only by trying of tricks in dancing."

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September 20, 1668.-"The Duchess of Monmouth is at this time in great trouble of the shortness of her lame leg, which is likely to grow shorter and shorter, that she will never recover."-Diary, v. 359.

On an earlier page (416) we have shown that in one of the mocking poems of her day she was unfeelingly addressed as "dear Limp.' On p. 191 was printed a sectarian libel, “ A Litany for St. Omer's," 1682, of which the forty-sixth line, "From every one that falsely limps," referred similarly to the Duchess.

1 It is terribly destructive of sentiment, but suggestive of thought in connection with the heartlessness of Court Society in her day, that Henry Savile writes thus from Whitehall to the Marquis of Halifax, on April 24th, 1686: "My Lady Henrietta Wentworth is dead; having sacrificed her life to her beauty, by painting so beyond measure that the mercury got into her nerves and killed her. She has left her land to her mother for life; afterwards it goes to my Lady Lovelace, and so to my Lord." She died on the 23rd April (Old style) unmarried. -Camden Society No. 72, Savile Correspondence, p. 287.

In October, 1713, Bishop Kennet took down from Dr. Tenison's own lips the narrative of his interview with Monmouth, whom he reported to have said that "Lady H. Wentworth had borne him no children."-White Kennet's History of England, iii. 433, 1719.

[British Museum Collection, 1876. f. 1, fol. 22.]

The Dutchess of Monmouth's Lamentation for the Loss of her Duke.

"L

TO THE TUNE OF, Tender Hearts of London City. [See pp. 325, 326.]

Oyal Hearts of London City, Come, I pray, and sing my Ditty,
Of my Love that's from me gone;

I am slighted and much sprighted, and am left alone to mourn.

"Was not that a dreadful thing, To make a Plot against the King,

And his Royal Brother too?

I am vexed and perplexed, for my dear that prov'd untrue.

"A Hellish Plot there was contrived, and then at last they were devised To make it known unto the King,

How they had plotted and alloted a Murther then for to kill him. “But Shaftsbury and his wits confounded, that had my Jemmy so be rounded For to Conspire against his King,

But God Direct and him Protect, that they may never Murther him.

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My Jemmy was a Subject Royal, But now has prov'd himself Disloyal ; ” (Then she cryed out a main)

"My Heart will break, for my Love's sake, Because he ne're will come again. "Jemmy now is prov'd a Traytor, Tony and he were so sad Creatures,

For to meddle so with things.

That were too high: proud Shaftsbury, For him to meddle so with Kings! "Shaftsbury was wondrous witty, to ruin three Nations, more's the pitty! Of it he was very shy;

But he is fled, and is since dead, that did disturb true Monarchy.

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Jemmy once was Loyal-hearted, And would his Life soon apparted
For his King and Nation's good;

He delighting all in fighting, Made his peace where 'ere he stood.

Shaftsbury, he was a Rebbel, Unto the King he was uncivil,
For all the Honour he did gain;

The King he slighted, and much spighted, And so he did his Royal Train.

"Jemmy was a Foe to no Man, Till wheedl'd in by Shaftsbury,

Till at last he was forc'd to fly:

You know the Reason, 'twas for Treason, For disturbing Monarchy.

"The Horrid Plot that they were known, Then against the King and Crown,

That makes my Heart to Bleed full sad,

For to hear my only dear were lately grown so very bad.

"All my joys are gone and blasted, I with grief am almost wasted, For my Jemmy that's to me dear."

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20

30

40

50

Then from her Eyes, with fresh supplies, down trickles many a brackish Tear. 60 "God bless the King and his Royal Brother, And keep us from such horrid murther, That were contriv'd by Shaftsbury

He was a Wretch fit for Jack Ketch; for disturbing of Monarchy!”

Now she ends her doleful story, Her Lamentation['s] laid before ye,

She laments for her own Dear,

Then from her eyes, with fresh supplies, down trickles many a brinish Tear.

Printed [for J. Deacon, White-letter, Sept. 27th,] in the Year 1683.

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[Pepys Collection, II. 221.]

The Merciful Father; or, The Penitent Son:

A Congratulatory Song on the Happy and most wished for Return of

James, Duke of Monmouth,

To Court, and his Reception into Power again. TO THE TUNE OF, There was a bonny young Lad.'

Ou Gallants of Country and City,
come listen to me, and I shall
Declare you the truth of my Ditty,

that Monmouth is come to White-Hall:
That Monmouth, so much in disgrace,
that Monmouth, so much in disdain,
Does now in the Court show his face,
and is come into favour again!

That Monmouth so much in disgrace, etc.

Brave Monmouth is now come in favour,

I pray God preserve him so still,
And that he may always endeavour
to have his dear Father's good will:
Then England in Peace it will flourish,
and those that disturb it in vain
Their old hidden Mischief may nourish,
for Monmouth's in favour again,

Then England in Peace it will flourish, etc.

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1 We have already, on p. 393, mentioned the popular Roxburghe Ballad thus beginning, "There was a bonny young Lad, was keeping of bonny win Sheep," entitled "A new song of Moggie's Jealousy; or, Jockie's Vindication (Roxb. Coll., II. 358), which will be given early in our next volume. Other names to the same tune are, 1.-London's Loyalty; 2.-Burton Hall (p. 245); 3."Ye London Lads be merry; 4.- Would'st thou be wilful still, my Jo?' (Vol. IV. p. 544). The present ballad, from a Pepysian broadside, probably unique, belongs to November, 1683, and the Prodigal's return to Royal favour has been described by us, with other illustrative ballads or songs on "Monmouth's Entertainment at Court," on pp. 417 to 419. Although thus far behind time in our pages, we gladly add the present interesting record of Charles II.'s forgiveness of the Duke of Monmouth, and the intercession of James Duke of York (cajoled and misled as he was, believing in the young man's penitence and protestations of future loyalty to him). It is connected with the foregoing ballad of "The Duchess of Monmouth's Lamentation,' ," which also belongs to the autumn of 1683, after discovery of the Rye-House Plot.

VOL. V.

2 T

642

The Merciful Father; or, The Penitent Son.

No more shall their Praying and Crying
persuade him to follow their Cause,
Nor all their Vowing and Lying

oblige him to break the King's Laws:
For Monmouth hath vow'd that he never
will follow no more such a train,

But he will be Loyal for ever,

now he's got into favour again :

For Monmouth hath vow'd that he never, etc.

The good Duke of York did obtain it,
upon his confessing his fault;
And wickedly he would Prophane it,
if ever that he should Revolt;
Upon his most humble Confession,

and vows that he true would remain ;
And we hope he will have the Discretion,
now he's got into favour again;

Upon his most humble Confession, etc.
No more will he favour the Rabble,
no more will he follow their Treats;
No, all their Tricks are not able

[N.B. prophetie.

to make him believe in their Cheats:
But shew himself Faithful and Loyal,
and prays for his Father's long Reign,
And they and their Projects defie all,
now he's got in favour again:
But shew himself Faithful and Loyal, etc.
Methinks the whole Nation did want him,
since he from the Court did depart;
Yet those that before this did Saint him,
now swear he's a Papist in's heart:
Because he has shew'd his Obedience,

in hopes for to wipe off his stain,
All those that are void of Allegiance
are mad he's in favour again:

Because he has shew'd his Obedience, etc.

But those that are true Loyal-hearted,

and love all the Old Royal Race,
Lament the sad cause why he parted,
and now do rejoyce at his face :
""Tis better to mend late than never,"
the Proverb was ne'er made in vain ;

[Vide p 264.

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48

60

[Cf. p. 531.

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We hope he'l remember it ever,

now he's got in favour again :

"Tis better to mend late than never," etc.

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