y where
his estate was; or to have the management of the Duke of York's revenues
in Ireland, of which he should have the entire disposal, provided he
immediately set out to take possession of his charge; and having
accomplished it, he might return as soon as ever he thought proper.

He perfectly well understood the meaning of these proposals, and was
fully apprised of the advantages he might reap from them: in vain did
ambition and avarice hold out their allurements; he was deaf to all their
temptations, nor could ever the old fellow be persuaded to be made a
cuckold. It is not always an aversion to, or a dread of this
distinction, which preserves us from it: of this her husband was very
sensible; therefore, under the pretence of a pilgrimage to Saint
Winifred, the virgin and martyr, who was said to cure women of
barrenness, he did not rest, until the highest mountains in Wales were
between his wife and the person who had designed to perform this miracle
in London, after his departure.

The duke was for some time entirely taken up with the pleasures of the
chase, and only now and then engaged in those of love; but his taste
having undergone a change in this particular, and the remembrance of Lady
Robarts wearing off by degrees, his eyes and wishes were turned towards
Miss Brook; and it was in the height of this pursuit that Lady
Chesterfield threw herself into his arms, as we shall see by resuming the
sequel of her adventures.

The Earl of Bristol, ever restless and ambitious, had put in practice
every art, to possess himself of the king's favour. As this is the same
Digby whom Count Bussy mentions in his annals, it will be sufficient to
say that he was not at all changed: he knew that love and pleasure had
possession of a master, whom he himself governed, in defiance of the
chancellor; thus he was continually giving entertainments at his house;
and luxury and elegance seemed to rival each other in those nocturnal
feasts, which always lead to other enjoyments. The two Miss Brooks, his
relations, were always of those parties; they were both formed by nature
to excite love in others, as well as to be susceptible of it themselves;
they were just what the king wanted: the earl, from this commencement,
was beginning to entertain a good opinion of his project, when Lady
Castlemaine, who had lately gained entire possession of the king's heart,
was not in a humour, at that time, to share it with another, as she did
very indi