DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51519#0114
96 THE DUCHESS OF CLEVELAND.
or not, we cannot venture to say. On her return to Paris, she
addressed the following’ letter to the King*. It is preserved among
the Harleian manuscripts, in a volume of letters, numbered 7006,
and affords us a singularly curious picture of her intriguing- spirit,
now smarting under the united stings of disappointment, humilia-
tion, and anger.
“ Paris, Tuesday the 28th, —78.
c( I was never so surprized in my holle life-time as I was, at my
coming hither, to find my Lady Sussex gone from my house and
monastery where I left her, and this letter from her, which I here
send you a copy of. I never saw in my holle life-time such
o-overnment of herself as she has had, since I went into England.
She has never been in the monastery two days together, but every
day gone out with the ambassador;* and has often lain four days
together at my house, and sent for her meat to the ambassador, he
being always with her till five o’clock in the morning, they two
shut up together alone, and would not let any maistre d’hotel
wait, nor any of my servants, only the ambassador’s. This made
so great a noise at Paris that she is now the holle discourse. I
am so much afflicted that I can hardly write this for crying, to see
a child that I doted on as I did on her, should make so ill return,
and join with the worst of men to ruin me. For sure never malice
was like the ambassador’s, that only because I would not answer
to his love, and the importunities he made to me, was resolved to
ruin me. I hope your majesty will yet have that justice and con-
sideration for me, that though I have done a foolish action, you
will not let me be ruined by this most abominable man. I do
confess to you that I did write a foolish letter to the Chevalier de
Chatillon, which letter I sent inclosed to Madam de Pallas, and
sent hers in a packet I sent to Lady Sussex by Sir Henry Tich-
born; which letter she has either given to the ambassador, or else
he had it by his man, to whom Sir Henry Tichborn gave it, not
finding my Lady Sussex. But as yet I do not know which of
* Ralph Mountague, afterwards Duke of Mountague.
or not, we cannot venture to say. On her return to Paris, she
addressed the following’ letter to the King*. It is preserved among
the Harleian manuscripts, in a volume of letters, numbered 7006,
and affords us a singularly curious picture of her intriguing- spirit,
now smarting under the united stings of disappointment, humilia-
tion, and anger.
“ Paris, Tuesday the 28th, —78.
c( I was never so surprized in my holle life-time as I was, at my
coming hither, to find my Lady Sussex gone from my house and
monastery where I left her, and this letter from her, which I here
send you a copy of. I never saw in my holle life-time such
o-overnment of herself as she has had, since I went into England.
She has never been in the monastery two days together, but every
day gone out with the ambassador;* and has often lain four days
together at my house, and sent for her meat to the ambassador, he
being always with her till five o’clock in the morning, they two
shut up together alone, and would not let any maistre d’hotel
wait, nor any of my servants, only the ambassador’s. This made
so great a noise at Paris that she is now the holle discourse. I
am so much afflicted that I can hardly write this for crying, to see
a child that I doted on as I did on her, should make so ill return,
and join with the worst of men to ruin me. For sure never malice
was like the ambassador’s, that only because I would not answer
to his love, and the importunities he made to me, was resolved to
ruin me. I hope your majesty will yet have that justice and con-
sideration for me, that though I have done a foolish action, you
will not let me be ruined by this most abominable man. I do
confess to you that I did write a foolish letter to the Chevalier de
Chatillon, which letter I sent inclosed to Madam de Pallas, and
sent hers in a packet I sent to Lady Sussex by Sir Henry Tich-
born; which letter she has either given to the ambassador, or else
he had it by his man, to whom Sir Henry Tichborn gave it, not
finding my Lady Sussex. But as yet I do not know which of
* Ralph Mountague, afterwards Duke of Mountague.