DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51519#0214
184 THE DUCHESS OE RICHMOND.
and leave the court rather in this way of discontent than other-
wise, that the world might see she sought not any thing but her
honour.”—a She hopes, though she hath little reason to hope, she
can please her lord so as to reclaim him, that they may yet live
comfortably in the country on his estate.”* Evelyn believed her
to be worth about 6000Z. in jewels : among these was a pearl
necklace, then valued at 1100Z., the King’s first present to her : he
had allowed her, while in the court, 700Z. a-year for her clothes;
but these were trifles, compared to the sums lavished on Lady
Castlemaine and Lady Portsmouth. There is reason to believe,
that had Miss Stewart been more complying, she might have
commanded any thing which it was in the power of the weak
monarch to bestow.,
But little is known of the Duchess of Richmond after her mar-
riage : she resisted for some time all temptations and entreaties to
return to the court; but in 1668, she was appointed one of the
ladies of the Queen’s bedchamber, and was lodged in Somerset
House, where Catherine then resided. Pepys says, “ that the
apartments allotted to her and the duke were sumptuous, and that
the King frequently visited her, but merely in courtesy/’ About
two years after her marriage she was attacked by the small-pox,
from which she recovered with great difficulty. The King paid
her much attention during her illness, and even afterwards, when
the ravages of that cruel disease had so impaired her matchless
beauty, that she was scarcely to be recognised : one of her brilliant
eyes was nearly quenched for ever.f
In 1672, the Duke of Richmond was appointed ambassador to
the court of Denmark, and died at Elsinore the same year. His
duchess did not accompany him abroad; and after his death she
continued to reside in the court near the person of the Queen, with
whom she continued a favourite ; and Charles having attached him-
* Pepys, vol. ii. p. 46.
t Vide Letters from Eouvigny to Louis XIV., in Dalrymple’s Memoirs.
and leave the court rather in this way of discontent than other-
wise, that the world might see she sought not any thing but her
honour.”—a She hopes, though she hath little reason to hope, she
can please her lord so as to reclaim him, that they may yet live
comfortably in the country on his estate.”* Evelyn believed her
to be worth about 6000Z. in jewels : among these was a pearl
necklace, then valued at 1100Z., the King’s first present to her : he
had allowed her, while in the court, 700Z. a-year for her clothes;
but these were trifles, compared to the sums lavished on Lady
Castlemaine and Lady Portsmouth. There is reason to believe,
that had Miss Stewart been more complying, she might have
commanded any thing which it was in the power of the weak
monarch to bestow.,
But little is known of the Duchess of Richmond after her mar-
riage : she resisted for some time all temptations and entreaties to
return to the court; but in 1668, she was appointed one of the
ladies of the Queen’s bedchamber, and was lodged in Somerset
House, where Catherine then resided. Pepys says, “ that the
apartments allotted to her and the duke were sumptuous, and that
the King frequently visited her, but merely in courtesy/’ About
two years after her marriage she was attacked by the small-pox,
from which she recovered with great difficulty. The King paid
her much attention during her illness, and even afterwards, when
the ravages of that cruel disease had so impaired her matchless
beauty, that she was scarcely to be recognised : one of her brilliant
eyes was nearly quenched for ever.f
In 1672, the Duke of Richmond was appointed ambassador to
the court of Denmark, and died at Elsinore the same year. His
duchess did not accompany him abroad; and after his death she
continued to reside in the court near the person of the Queen, with
whom she continued a favourite ; and Charles having attached him-
* Pepys, vol. ii. p. 46.
t Vide Letters from Eouvigny to Louis XIV., in Dalrymple’s Memoirs.