e "all the mothers vow to God that
none of their sons should ever set a foot in Italy, lest they should
bring back with them that infamous custom of laying restraint upon their
wives."

By the departure of Lady Chesterfield the court lost one of its most
brilliant ornaments forever, for the unhappy countess never again
returned to the gay scene of her adventures. For three long years
she endured banishment at Bretby in Derbyshire, and then died, it was
believed, from the effects of poison. For my lord, never having his
suspicions of her intrigue cleared, insisted on her taking the sacrament
by way of pledging her innocence; on which occasion he, in league with
his chaplain, mixed poison in the sacred wine, as result of which she
died. This shocking story gained credence not only with the public, but
with members of his own family; inasmuch as his daughter-in-law, Lady
Gertrude Stanhope, after she had quarrelled with him, would, when she
sat at his table, drink only of such wine and water as a trusty servant
of hers procured.

This intrigue of the duke had given much uneasiness to his duchess, who
had complained to the king and to her father, and had, moreover, set a
watch upon the movements of his royal highness. But such measures
did not avail to make him a faithful husband, and no sooner was Lady
Chesterfield removed from his sight, than Lady Denham took her place
in his affections. This latter mentioned gentlewoman was daughter of a
valiant baronet, Sir William Brooke, and niece to a worthless peer,
the Earl of Bristol. The earl had, on the king's restoration, cherished
ambitious schemes to obtain the merry monarch's favour; for which
purpose he sought to commend himself by ministering to the royal
pleasures.

Accordingly he entertained the king as became a loyal gentleman, giving
him luxurious banquets and agreeable suppers, to which, by way of
adding to his majesty's greater satisfaction, the noble host invited
his nieces, Mistress Brooke and her sister. The wily earl had, indeed,
conceived a plan the better to forward his interests with the king, and
was desirous one of these gentlewomen should subdue his majesty's heart,
and become his mistress. Margaret Brooke, the elder of the maidens, was
at this time in her eighteenth year, and was in the full flower of such
loveliness as was presented by a fair complexion, light brown hair, and
dark grey eyes. The merry monarch's susceptible heart was soon won
by her bea