a Year Income; he judg’d, as he said, by my way [of] Living, that I cou’d not spend above one Thousand; and so, he added, I might prudently lay-by 1000 l. every Year, to add to the Capital; and by adding every Year the additional Interest, or Income of the Money to the Capital, he prov’d to me, that in ten Year I shou’d double the 1000 l. per Annum, that I laid by; and he drew me out a Table, as he call’d it, of the Encrease, for me to judge by; and by which, he said, if the Gentlemen of England wou’d but act so, every Family of them wou’d encrease their Fortunes to a great Degree, just as Merchants do by Trade; whereas now, says Sir Robert, by the Humour of living up to the Extent of their Fortunes, and rather beyond, the Gentlemen, says he, ay, and the Nobility too, are, almost all of them, Borrowers, and all in necessitous Circumstances.
As Sir Robert frequently visited me, and was (if I may say so from his own Mouth) very well pleas’d with my way of conversing with him, for he knew nothing, nor so much as guess’d at what I had been; I say, as he came often to see me, so he always entertain’d me with this Scheme of Frugality; and one time he brought another Paper, wherein he shew’d me, much to the same Purpose as the former, to what Degree I shou’d encrease my Estate, if I wou’d come into his Method of contracting my Expenses; and by this Scheme of his, it appear’d, that laying up a thousand Pounds a Year, and every Year adding the Interest to it, I shou’d in twelve Years time have in Bank, One and twenty Thousand, and Fifty eight Pounds;179 after which, I might lay-up two Thousand Pounds a Year.
I objected, that I was a young Woman; that I had been us’d to live plentifully, and with a good Appearance; and that I knew not how to be a Miser.
He told me, that if I thought I had enough, it was well; but if I desir’d to have more, this was the Way; that in another twelve Year, I shou’d be too rich, so that I shou’d not know what to do with it.
Ay Sir, says I, you are contriving how to make me a rich Old Woman, but that won’t answer my End; I had rather have 20000 l. now, than 60000 l. when I am fifty Year old.
Then, Madam, says he, I suppose your Honour has no Children?
None, Sir Robert, said I, but what are provided for, so I left him in the dark, as much as I found him: However, I consider’d his Scheme very well, tho’ I said no more to him at that time, and I resolv’d, tho’ I would make a very good Figure, I say, I resolv’d to abate a little of my Expence, and draw in, live closer, and save something, if not so much as he propos’d to me: It was near the End of the Year that Sir Robert made this Proposal to me, and when the Year was up, I went to his House in the City, and there I told him, I came to thank him for his Scheme of Frugality; that I had been studying much upon it; and tho’ I had not been able to mortifie myself so much as to lay-up a thousand Pounds a Year; yet, as I had not come to him for my Interest half-yearly, as was usual, I was now come to let him know, that I had resolv’d to lay-up that seven Hundred Pound a Year, and never use a Penny of it; desiring him to help me to put it out to Advantage.
Sir Robert, a Man thorowly vers’d in Arts of improving Money, but thorowly honest, said to me, Madam, I am glad you approve of the Method that I propos’d to you; but you have begun wrong; you shou’d have come for your Interest at the Half-Year, and then you had had the Money to put out; now you have lost half a Year’s Interest of 350 l. which is 9 l. for I had but 5 per Cent. on the Mortgage.
Well, well, Sir, says I, can you put this out for me now?
Let it lie, Madam, says he, till the next Year, and then I’ll put out your 1400 l. together, and in the mean time I’ll pay you Interest for the 700 l. so he gave me his Bill for the Money, which he told me shou’d be no less than 6 l. per Cent.180 Sir Robert Clayton’s Bill was what no-body wou’d refuse; so I thank’d him, and let it lie; and next Year I did the same; and the third Year Sir Robert got me a good Mortgage for 2200 l. at 6 per Cent. Interest: So I had 132 l. a Year added to my Income; which was a very satisfying Article.
But I return to my History: As I have said, I found that my Measures were all wrong, the Posture I set up in, expos’d me to innumerable Visiters of the Kind I have mention’d above; I was cry’d up for a vast Fortune, and one that Sir Robert Clayton manag’d for; and Sir Robert Clayton was courted for me, as much as I was for myself: But I had given Sir Robert his Cue; I had told him my Opinion of Matrimony, in just the same Terms as I had done my Merchant, and he came into it presently; he own’d that my Observation was just, and that, if I valued my Liberty, as I knew my Fortune, and that it was in my own Hands, I was to blame, if I gave it away to any-one.
But Sir Robert knew nothing of my Design; that I aim’d at being a kept Mistress, and to have a handsome Maintenance; and that I was still for getting Money, and laying it up too, as much as he cou’d desire me, only by a worse Way.
However, Sir Robert came seriously to me one Day, and told me, he had an Offer of Matrimony to make to me, that was beyond all that he had heard had offer’d themselves, and this was a Merchant; Sir Robert and I agreed exactly in our Notions of a Merchant; Sir Robert said, and I found it to be true, that a true-bred Merchant is the best Gentleman in the Nation;181 that in Knowledge, in Manners, in Judgment of things, the Merchant out-did many of the Nobility; that having once master’d the World, and being above the Demand of Business, tho’ no real Estate, they were then superior to most Gentlemen, even in Estate; that a Merchant in flush Business, and a capital Stock, is able to spend more Money than a Gentleman of 5000 l. a Year Estate; that while a Merchant spent, he only spent what he got, and not that; and that he laid up great Sums every Year.
That an Estate is a Pond; but that a Trade was a Spring;182 that if the first is once mortgag’d, it seldom gets clear, but embarrass’d the Person for ever; but the Merchant had his Estate continually flowing; and upon this, he nam’d me Merchants who liv’d in more real Splendor, and spent more Money than most of the Noblemen in England cou’d singly expend, and that they still grew immensly rich.
He went on to tell me, that even the Tradesmen in London, speaking of the better sort of Trades, cou’d spend more Money in their Families, and yet give better Fortunes to their Children, than, generally speaking, the Gentry of England from a 1000 l. a Year downward, cou’d do, and yet grow rich too.
The Upshot of all this was, to recommend to me, rather the bestowing my Fortune upon some eminent Merchant, who liv’d already in the first Figure of a Merchant, and who not being in Want or Scarcity of Money, but having a flourishing Business, and a flowing Cash, wou’d at the first word, settle all my Fortune on myself and Children, and maintain me like a Queen.
This was certainly right; and had I taken his Advice, I had been really happy; but my Heart was bent upon an Independency of Fortune; and I told him, I knew no State of Matrimony, but what was, at best, a State of Inferiority, if not of Bondage; that I had no Notion of it; that I liv’d a Life of absolute Liberty now; was free as I was born, and having a plentiful Fortune, I did not understand what Coherence the Words Honour and Obey had with the Liberty of a Free Woman; that I knew no Reason the Men had to engross the whole Liberty of the Race, and make the Women, notwithstanding any desparity of Fortune, be subject to the Laws of Marriage, of their own making; that it was my Misfortune to be a Woman, but I was resolv’d it shou’d not be made worse by the Sex; and seeing Liberty seem’d to be the Men’s Property, I wou’d be a Man-Woman; for as I was born free, I wou’d die so.
Sir Robert smil’d, and told me, I talk’d a kind of Amazonian183 Language; that he found few Women of my Mind, or that if they were, they wanted Resolution to go on with it; that notwithstanding all my Notions, which he could not but say had once some Weight in them, yet he understood I had broke-in upon them, and had been marry’d; I answer’d, I had so, but he did not hear me say, that I had any Encouragement from what was past, to make a second Venture; that I was got well out of the Toil, and if I came in again, I shou’d have no-body to blame but myself.
Sir Robert laugh’d heartily at me, but gave over offering any more Arguments, only told me, he had pointed me out for some of the best Merchants in London, but since I forbad him, he wou’d give me no Disturbance of that Kind; he applauded my Way of managing my Money, and told me, I shou’d soon be monstrous rich; but he neither knew, or mistrusted, that with all this Wealth, I was yet a Whore, and was not averse to adding to my Estate at the farther Expence of my Virtue.
But to go on with my Story as to my way of living; I found, as above, that my living as I did, wou’d not answer; that it only brought the Fortune-Hunters and Bites184 about me, as I have said before, to make a Prey of me and my Money; and in short, I was harrass’d with Lovers, Beaus, and Fops of Quality, in abundance; but it wou’d not do, I aim’d at other things, and was possess’d with so vain an Opinion of my own Beauty, that nothing less than the KING himself was in my Eye; and this Vanity was rais’d by some Words let fall by a Person I convers’d with, who was, perhaps, likely enough to have brought such a thing to pass, had it been sooner; but that Game began to be pretty well over at Court: However, he having mention’d such a thing, it seems, a little too publickly, it brought abundance of People about me, upon a wicked Account too.
And now I began to act in a new Sphere; the Court was exceeding gay and fine, tho’ fuller of Men than of Women, the Queen not affecting185 to be very much in publick; on the other hand, it is no Slander upon the Courtiers, to say, they were as wicked as any-body in reason cou’d desire them: The KING had several Mistresses, who were prodigious fine, and there was a glorious Show on that Side indeed: If the Sovereign gave himself a Loose,186 it cou’d not be expected the rest of the Court shou’d be all Saints; so far was it from that, tho’ I wou’d not make it worse than it was, that a Woman that had any-thing agreeable in her Appearance, cou’d never want Followers.
I soon found myself throng’d with Admirers, and I receiv’d Visits from some Persons of very great Figure, who always introduc’d themselves by the help of an old Lady or two, who were now become my Intimates; and one of them, I understood afterwards, was set to-work on purpose to get into my Favour, in order to introduce what follow’d.
The Conversation we had, was generally courtly, but civil; at length, some Gentlemen propos’d to Play, and made, what they call’d, a Party; this it seems, was a Contrivance of one of my Female hangers-on, for, as I said, I had two of them, who thought this was the way to introduce People as often as she pleas’d, and so indeed, it was: They play’d high, and stay’d late, but begg’d my Pardon, only ask’d Leave to make an Appointment for the next Night; I was as gay, and as well pleas’d as any of them, and one Night told one of the Gentlemen, my Lord —, that seeing they were doing me the Honour of diverting themselves at my Apartment, and desir’d to be there sometimes, I did not keep a Gaming-Table, but I wou’d give them a little Ball the next Day, if they pleas’d; which they accepted very willingly.
Accordingly in the Evening the Gentlemen began to come, where I let them see, that I understood very well what such things meant: I had a large Dining-Room in my Apartments, with five other Rooms on the same Floor, all which I made Drawing-Rooms for the Occasion, having all the Beds taken down for the Day; in three of these I had Tables plac’d, cover’d with Wine and Sweet-Meats; the fourth had a green Table for Play, and the fifth was my own Room, where I sat, and where I receiv’d all the Company that came to pay their Compliments to me: I was dress’d, you may be sure, to all the Advantage possible, and had all the Jewels on, that I was Mistress of: My Lord —, to whom I had made the Invitation, sent me a Sett of fine Musick187 from the Play-House,188 and the Ladies danc’d, and we began to be very merry; when about eleven a-Clock I had Notice given me, that there were some Gentlemen coming in Masquerade.
I seem’d a little surpriz’d, and began to apprehend some Disturbance;189 when my Lord — perceiving it, spoke to me to be easie, for that there was a Party of the Guards at the Door, which shou’d be ready to prevent any Rudeness; and another Gentleman gave me a Hint, as if the KING was among the Masks; I colour’d, as red as Blood itself cou’d make a Face look, and express’d a great Surprize; however, there was no going back; so I kept my Station in my Drawing-Room, but with the Folding-Doors wide open.
A-while after, the Masks came in, and began with a Dance a la Comique, performing wonderfully indeed; while they were dancing, I withdrew, and left a Lady to answer for me, that I wou’d return immediately; in less than half an Hour I return’d, dress’d in the Habit of a Turkish Princess; the Habit I got at Leghorn, when my Foreign Prince bought me a Turkish Slave, as I have said; the Malthese Man of War had, it seems, taken a Turkish Vessel going from Constantinople to Alexandria, in which were some Ladies bound for Grand Cairo in Egypt; and as the Ladies were made Slaves, so their fine Cloaths were thus expos’d; and with this Turkish Slave, I bought the rich Cloaths too: The Dress was extraordinary fine indeed, I had bought it as a Curiosity, having never seen the like; the Robe was a fine Persian, or India Damask; the Ground white, and the Flowers blue and gold, and the Train held five Yards; the Dress under it, was a Vest of the same, embroider’d with Gold, and set with some Pearl in the Work, and some Turquois Stones; to the Vest, was a Girdle five or six Inches wide, after the Turkish Mode; and on both Ends where it join’d, or hook’d, was set with Diamonds for eight Inches either way, only they were not true Diamonds; but no-body knew that but myself.
The Turban, or Head-Dress, had a Pinacle on the top, but not about five Inches, with a Piece of loose Sarcenet hanging from it; and on the Front, just over the Forehead, was a good Jewel, which I had added to it.
This Habit, as above, cost me about sixty Pistoles in Italy, but cost much more in the Country from whence it came; and little did I think, when I bought it, that I shou’d put it to such a Use as this; tho’ I had dress’d myself in it many times, by the help of my little Turk, and afterwards between Amy and I, only to see how I look’d in it: I had sent her up before, to get it ready, and when I came up, I had nothing to do, but slip it on, and was down in my Drawing-Room in a little more than a quarter of an Hour; when I came there, the room was full of Company, but I order’d the Folding-Doors to be shut for a Minute or two, till I had receiv’d the Compliments of the Ladies that were in the Room, and had given them a full View of my Dress.
But my Lord —, who happen’d to be in the Room, slipp’d out at another Door, and brought back with him one of the Masks, a tall well-shap’d Person, but who had no Name, being all Mask’d, nor would it have been allow’d to ask any Person’s Name on such an Occasion; the Person spoke in French to me, that it was the finest Dress he had ever seen; and ask’d me, if he shou’d have the Honour to dance with me? I bow’d, as giving my Consent, but said, As I had been a Mahometan, I cou’d not dance after the Manner of this Country; I suppos’d their Musick wou’d not play a la Moresque; he answer’d merrily, I had a Christian’s Face, and he’d venture it, that I cou’d dance like a Christian; adding, that so much Beauty cou’d not be Mahometan: Immediately the Folding-Doors were flung open, and he led me into the Room: The Company were under the greatest Surprize imaginable; the very Musick stopp’d a-while to gaze; for the Dress was indeed, exceedingly surprizing, perfectly new, very agreeable, and wonderful rich.
The Gentleman, whoever he was, for I never knew, led me only a Courant, and then ask’d me, if I had a-mind to dance an Antick,190 that is to say, whether I wou’d dance the Antick as they had danc’d in Masquerade, or anything by myself; I told him, any thing else rather, if he pleas’d; so we danc’d only two French Dances, and he led me to the Drawing-Room Door, when he retir’d to the rest of the Masks: When he left me at the Drawing-Room Door, I did not go in, as he thought I wou’d have done, but turn’d about, and show’d myself to the whole Room, and calling my Woman to me, gave her some Directions to the Musick, by which the Company presently understood that I would give them a Dance by myself: Immediately all the House rose up, and paid me a kind of a Compliment, by removing back every way to make me room, for the Place was exceeding full; the Musick did not at first hit the Tune that I directed, which was a French Tune, so I was fore’d to send my Woman to ’em again, standing all this while at my Drawing-Room Door; but as soon as my Woman spoke to them again, they play’d it right; and I, to let them see it was so, stepp’d forward to the middle of the Room; then they began it again, and I danc’d by myself a Figure which I learnt in France, when the Prince de — desir’d I wou’d dance for his Diversion; it was indeed, a very fine Figure, invented by a famous Master at Paris, for a Lady or a Gentleman to dance single; but being perfectly new, it pleas’d the Company exceedingly, and they all thought it had been Turkish; nay, one Gentleman had the Folly to expose himself so much, as to say, and I think swore too, that he had seen it danc’d at Constantinople; which was ridiculous enough.
At the finishing the Dance, the Company clapp’d, and almost shouted; and one of the Gentlemen cry’d out, Roxana! Roxana!191 by —, with an Oath; upon which foolish Accident I had the Name of Roxana presently fix’d upon me all over the Court End of Town, as effectually as if I had been Christen’d Roxana: I had, it seems, the Felicity of pleasing every-body that Night, to an Extreme; and my Ball, but especially my Dress, was the Chat of the Town for that Week, and so the Name Roxana was the Toast at, and about the Court; no other Health was to be nam’d with it.
Now things began to work as I wou’d have them, and I began to be very popular, as much as I cou’d desire: The Ball held till (as well as I was pleas’d with the Show) I was sick of the Night; the Gentlemen mask’d, went off about three a-Clock in the Morning; the other Gentlemen sat down to Play; the Musick held it out; and some of the Ladies were dancing at Six in the Morning.
But I was mighty eager to know who it was danc’d with me; some of the Lords went so far as to tell me, I was very much honour’d in my Company; one of them spoke so broad, as almost to say it was the KING, but I was convinc’d afterwards, it was not; and another reply’d, If he had been His Majesty, he shou’d have thought it no Dishonour to Lead-up a Roxana; but to this Hour I never knew positively who it was; and by his Behaviour I thought he was too young, His Majesty being at that time in an Age that might be discover’d from a young Person, even in his Dancing.
Be that as it wou’d, I had 500 Guineas sent me the next Morning, and the Messenger was order’d to tell me, that the Persons who sent it, desir’d a Ball again at my Lodgings on the next Tuesday, but that they wou’d have my Leave to give the Entertainment themselves: I was mighty well pleas’d with this, (to be sure) but very inquisitive to know who the Money came from; but the Messenger was silent as Death, as to that Point; and bowing always at my Enquiries, begg’d me to ask no Questions which he cou’d not give an obliging Answer to.
I forgot to mention that the Gentlemen that play’d, gave a Hundred Guineas to the Box,192 as they call’d it, and at the End of their Play, they ask’d my Gentlewoman of the Bed-Chamber, as they call’d her, (Mrs. Amy, forsooth) and gave it her; and gave twenty Guineas more among the Servants.
This magnificent Doings equally both pleas’d and supriz’d me, and I hardly knew where I was; but especially, that Notion of the KING being the Person that danc’d with me, puff’d me up to that Degree, that I not only did not know any-body else, but indeed, was very far from knowing myself.
I had now the next Tuesday to provide for the like Company; but alas! it was all taken out of my Hand; three Gentlemen, who yet were, it seems, but Servants, came on the Saturday, and bringing sufficient Testimonies that they were right, for one was the same who brought the five hundred Guineas; I say, three of them came, and brought Bottles of all sorts of Wines, and Hampers of Sweet-Meats to such a Quantity, it appear’d they design’d to hold the Trade on more than once, and that they wou’d furnish every-thing to a Profusion.
However, as I found a Deficiency in two things, I made Provision of about twelve Dozen of fine Damask Napkins, with Table-cloaths of the same, sufficient to cover all the Tables, with three Table-cloaths upon every Table, and Side-boards in Proportion; also I bought a handsome Quantity of Plate, necessary to have serv’d all the Side-boards, but the Gentlemen would not suffer any of it to be us’d; telling me, they had bought fine China Dishes and Plates for the whole Service; and that in such publick Places they cou’d not be answerable for the Plate; so it was set all up in a large Glass-Cupboard in the Room I sat in, where it made a very good Show indeed.
On Tuesday there came such an Appearance of Gentlemen and Ladies, that my Apartments were by no means able to receive them; and those who in particular appear’d as Principals, gave Order below, to let no more Company come up; the Street was full of Coaches with Coronets, and fine Glass-Chairs;193 and in short, it was impossible to receive the Company; I kept my little Room, as before, and the Dancers fill’d the great Room; all the Drawing-Rooms also were fill’d, and three Rooms below-Stairs, which were not mine.
It was very well that there was a strong Party of the Guards brought to keep the Door, for without that, there had been such a promiscuous Crowd,194 and some of them scandalous too, that we shou’d have been all Disorder and Confusion; but the three Head-Servants manag’d all that, and had a Word to admit all the Company by.
It was uncertain to me, and is to this Day, who it was that danc’d with me the Wednesday before, when the Ball was my own; but that the K — was at this Assembly, was out of Question with me, by Circumstances that I suppose I cou’d not be deceiv’d in; and particularly, that there were five Persons who were not Mask’d, three of them had blue Garters,195 and they appear’d not to me till I came out to dance.
This Meeting was manag’d just as the first, tho’ with much more Magnificence, because of the Company; I plac’d myself (exceedingly rich in Cloaths and Jewels) in the middle of my little Room, as before, and made my Compliment to all the Company, as they pass’d me, as I did before; but my Lord —, who had spoken openly to me that first Night, came to me, and unmasking, told me the Company had order’d him to tell me, they hop’d they shou’d see me in the Dress I had appear’d in the first Day, which had been so acceptable, that it had been the Occasion of this new Meeting; and Madam, says he, there are some in this Assembly, who it is worth your while to oblige.
I bow’d to my Lord —, and immediately withdrew: While I was above, a-dressing in my new Habit, two Ladies, perfectly unknown to me, were convey’d into my Apartment below, by the Order of a Noble Person, who, with his Family, had been in Persia; and here indeed, I thought I shou’d have been out-done, or perhaps, baulk’d.
One of these Ladies was dress’d most exquisitely fine indeed, in the Habit of a Virgin Lady of Quality of Georgia, and the other in the same Habit of Armenia, with each of them a Woman-Slave to attend them.
The Ladies had their Petticoats short, to their Ancles, but pleated all round, and before them short Aprons, but of the finest Point196 that cou’d be seen; their Gowns were made with long Antick197 Sleeves hanging down behind, and a Train let down; they had no Jewels; but their Heads and Breasts were dress’d up with Flowers, and they both came in veil’d.
Their Slaves were bare-headed; but their long black Hair was breeded in Locks hanging down behind, to their Wastes, and tied up with Ribbands; they were dress’d exceeding rich, and were as beautiful as their Mistresses; for none of them had any Masks on: They waited in my Room till I came down, and all paid their Respects to me after the Persian Manner, and sat down on a Safra,198 that is to say, almost cross-legg’d on a Couch made up of Cushions laid on the Ground.
This was admirably fine, and I was indeed, startled at it; they made their Compliment to me in French, and I reply’d in the same Language; when the Doors were open’d, they walk’d into the Dancing-Room, and danc’d such a Dance, as indeed, no-body there had ever seen, and to an Instrument like a Guittar,199 with a small low-sounding Trumpet,200 which indeed, was very fine, and which my Lord — had provided.
They danc’d three times all-alone, for no-body indeed, cou’d dance with them: The Novelty pleas’d, truly, but yet there was something wild and Bizarre in it, because they really acted to the Life the barbarous Country whence they came; but as mine had the French Behaviour under the Mahometan Dress, it was every way as new, and pleas’d much better, indeed.
As soon as they had shewn their Georgian and Armenian Shapes, and danc’d, as I have said, three times, they withdrew, paid their Compliment to me, (for I was Queen of the Day) and went off to undress.
Some Gentlemen then danc’d with Ladies all in Masks, and when they stopp’d, no-body rose up to dance, but all call’d out Roxana, Roxana; in the Interval, my Lord — had brought another mask’d Person into my Room, who I knew not, only that I cou’d discern it was not the same Person that led me out before: This noble Person (for I afterwards understood it was the Duke of —) after a short Compliment, led me out into the middle of the Room.
I was dress’d in the same Vest and Girdle as before; but the Robe had a Mantle over it, which is usual in the Turkish Habit, and it was of Crimson and Green; the Green brocaded with Gold; and my Tyhiaai,201 or Head-Dress, vary’d a little from that I had before, as it stood higher, and had some Jewels about the rising Part; which made it look like a Turban crown’d.
I had no Mask, neither did I Paint; and yet I had the Day of all the Ladies that appear’d at the Ball, I mean, of those that appear’d with Faces on; as for those Mask’d, nothing cou’d be said of them, no doubt there might be many finer than I was; it must be confess’d, that the Habit was infinitely advantageous to me, and every-body look’d at me with a kind of Pleasure, which gave me great Advantage too.
After I had danc’d with that noble Person, I did not offer to dance by myself, as I had before; but they all call’d out Roxana again; and two of the Gentlemen came into the Drawing-Room, to intreat me to give them the Turkish Dance, which I yielded to, readily; so I came out and danc’d, just as at first.
While I was dancing, I perceiv’d five Persons standing all together, and among them, one only with his Hat on;202 it was an immediate Hint to me who it was, and had at first, almost put me into some Disorder; but I went on, receiv’d the Applause of the House, as before, and retir’d into my own Room; when I was there, the five Gentlemen came cross the Room to my Side, and coming in, follow’d by a Throng of Great Persons, the Person with his Hat on, said Madam Roxana you perform to Admiration; I was prepar’d, and offer’d to kneel to kiss his Hand, but he declin’d it, and saluted me, and so passing back again thro’ the Great Room, went away.
I do not say here, who this was, but I say, I came afterwards to know something more plainly; I wou’d have withdrawn, and disrob’d, being somewhat too thin in that Dress, unlac’d, and open-breasted, as if I had been in my Shift; but it cou’d not be, and I was oblig’d to dance afterwards with six or eight Gentlemen, most, if not all of them, of the First Rank; and I was told afterwards, that one of them was the D— of M—th. 203
About two or three a-Clock in the Morning, the Company began to decrease, the Number of Women especially, dropp’d away Home, some and some at a time; and the Gentlemen retir’d down Stairs, where they unmask’d, and went to Play.
Amy waited at the Room where they Play’d; sat up all-Night to attend them; and in the Morning, when they broke-up, they swept the Box into her Lap, when she counted out to me, sixty two Guineas and a half; and the other Servants got very well too: Amy came to me when they were all gone, Law — Madam, says Amy, with a long gaping Cry, what shall I do with all this Money? And indeed, the poor Creature was half-mad with Joy.
I was now in my Element; I was as much talk’d of as any-body cou’d desire, and I did not doubt but something or other wou’d come of it; but the Report of my being so rich, rather was a Baulk to my View,204 than any-thing else; for the Gentlemen that wou’d, perhaps, have been troublesome enough otherwise, seem’d to be kept off; for Roxana was too high for them.
There is a Scene which came in here, which I must cover from humane Eyes or Ears; for three Years and about a Month, Roxana liv’d retir’d, having been oblig’d to make an Excursion, in a Manner, and with a Person, which Duty, and private Vows, obliges her not to reveal, at least, not yet.
At the End of this Time I appear’d again; but I must add, that as I had in this Time of Retreat, made Hay, &c. – so I did not come Abroad again with the same Lustre, or shine with so much Advantage as before; for as some People had got at least, a Suspicion of where I had been, and who had had me all the while, it began to be publick, that Roxana was, in short, a meer Roxana,205 neither better nor worse; and not that Woman of Honour and Virtue that was at first suppos’d.
You are now to suppose me about seven Years come to Town, and that I had not only suffer’d the old Revenue, which I hinted was manag’d by Sir Robert Clayton, to grow, as was mention’d before; but I had laid-up an incredible Wealth, the time consider’d; and had I yet had the least Thought of reforming, I had all the Opportunity to do it with Advantage, that ever Woman had; for the common Vice of all Whores, I mean Money, was out of the Question, nay, even Avarice itself seem’d to be glutted; for, including what I had sav’d in reserving the Interest of 14000 l. which, as above, I had left to grow; and including some very good Presents I had made to me, in meer Compliment, upon these shining masquerading Meetings, which I held up for about two Years, and what I made of three Years of the most glorious Retreat, as I call it, that ever Woman had, I had fully doubled my first Substance, and had near 5000 Pounds in Money, which I kept at-home; besides abundance of Plate, and Jewels, which I had either given me, or had bought to set myself out for Publick Days.
In a word, I had now five and thirty Thousand Pounds Estate; and as I found Ways to live without wasting either Principal or Interest, I laid-up 2000 l. every Year, at least, out of the meer Interest, adding it to the Principal; and thus I went on.
After the End of what I call my Retreat, and out of which I brought a great deal of Money, I appear’d again, but I seem’d like an old Piece of Plate that had been hoarded up some Years, and comes out tarnish’d and discolour’d; so I came out blown,206 and look’d like a cast-off Mistress, nor indeed, was I any better; tho’ I was not at-all impair’d in Beauty, except that I was a little fatter than I was formerly, and always granting that I was four Years older.
However, I preserv’d the Youth of my Temper; was always bright, pleasant in Company, and agreeable to every-body, or else every-body flatter’d me; and in this Condition I came Abroad to the World again; and tho’ I was not so popular as before, and indeed, did not seek it, because I knew it cou’d not be; yet I was far from being without Company, and that of the greatest Quality, of Subjects I mean, who frequently visited me, and sometimes we had Meetings for Mirth, and Play, at my Apartments, where I fail’d not to divert them in the most agreeable Manner possible.
Nor cou’d any of them make the least particular Application to me, from the Notion they had of my excessive Wealth, which, as they thought, plac’d me above the meanness of a Maintenance; and so left no room to come easily about me.
But at last I was very handsomly attack’d by a Person of Honour, and (which recommended him particularly to me) a Person of a very great Estate; he made a long Introduction to me upon the Subject of my Wealth: Ignorant Creature! said I to myself, considering him as a LORD; was there ever Woman in the World that cou’d stoop to the Baseness of being a Whore, and was above taking the Reward of her Vice! No, no, depend upon it, if your Lordship obtains any-thing of me, you must pay for it; and the Notion of my being so rich, serves only to make it cost you the dearer, seeing you cannot offer a small Matter to a Woman of 2000 l. a Year Estate.
After he had harangu’d upon that Subject a good-while, and had assur’d me he had no Design upon me; that he did not come to make a Prize of me, or to pick my Pocket, which (by the way) I was in no fear of, for I took too much Care of my Money, to part with any of it that way; he then turn’d his Discourse to the Subject of Love; a Point so ridiculous to me, without the main thing, I mean the Money, that I had no Patience to hear him make so long a Story of it.
I receiv’d him civilly, and let him see I cou’d bear to hear a wicked Proposal, without being affronted, and yet I was not to be brought into it too easily: He visited me a long-while, and in short, courted me as closely and assiduously, as if he had been wooing me to Matrimony; he made me several valuable Presents, which I suffer’d myself to be prevail’d with to accept, but not without great Difficulty.
Gradually I suffer’d also his other Importunities, and when he made a Proposal of a Compliment, or Appointment207 to me, for a Settlement, he said, That tho’ I was rich, yet there was not the less due from him, to acknowledge the Favours he receiv’d; and that if I was to be his, I shou’d not live at my own Expence, cost what it wou’d: I told him, I was far from being Extravagant, and yet I did not live at the Expence of less than 500 l. a Year out of my own Pocket; that however, I was not covetous of settled Allowances, for I look’d upon that as a kind of Golden Chain, something like Matrimony; that tho’ I knew how to be true to a Man of Honour, as I knew his Lordship to be, yet I had a kind of Aversion to the Bonds; and tho’ I was not so rich as the World talk’d me up to be, yet I was not so poor as to bind myself to Hardships, for a Pension.
He told me, he expected to make my Life perfectly easie, and intended it so; that he knew of no Bondage there cou’d be in a private Engagement between us; that the Bonds of Honour he knew I wou’d be ty’d by, and think them no Burthen; and for other Obligations, he scorn’d to expect any-thing from me, but what he knew, as a Woman of Honour, I cou’d grant; then, as to Maintenance, he told me, he wou’d soon show me that he valued me infinitely above 500 l. a Year; and upon this foot we began.
I seem’d kinder to him after this Discourse; and as Time and Private Conversation made us very intimate, we began to come nearer to the main Article, namely, the 500 l. a Year; he offer’d that at first Word; and to acknowledge it as an infinite Favour to have it be accepted of; and I, that thought it was too much by208 all the Money, suffer’d myself to be master’d, or prevail’d with, to yield, even on but a bare Engagement upon Parole.
When he had obtain’d his End that way, I told him my Mind; Now you see, my Lord, said I, how weakly I have acted, namely, to yield to you without any Capitulation, or any-thing secur’d to me, but that which you may cease to allow, when you please; if I am the less valued for such a Confidence, I shall be injur’d in a Manner that I will endeavour not to deserve.
He told me, that he wou’d make it evident to me, that he did not seek me by way of Bargain, as such things were often done; that as I had treated him with a generous Confidence, so I shou’d find I was in the Hands of a Man of Honour, and one that knew how to value the Obligation; and upon this, he pull’d out a Goldsmith’s Bill209 for 300 l. which, putting it into my Hand, he said he gave me as a Pledge, that I shou’d not be a Loser by my not having made a Bargain with him.
This was engaging indeed, and gave me a good Idea of our future Correspondence;210 and in short, as I cou’d not refrain treating him with more Kindness than I had done before, so one thing begetting another, I gave him several Testimonies that I was entirely his own, by Inclination, as well as by the common Obligation of a Mistress; and this pleas’d him exceedingly.
Soon after this private Engagement, I began to consider, whether it were not more suitable to the Manner of Life I now led, to be a little less publick; and as I told my Lord, it wou’d rid me of the Importunities of others, and of continual Visits from a sort of People who he knew of, and who, by the way, having now got the Notion of me which I really deserv’d, began to talk of the old Game, Love and Gallantry, and to offer at what was rude enough; things as nauceous to me now, as if I had been married, and as virtuous as other People: The Visits of these People began indeed, to be uneasie to me, and particularly, as they were always very tedious and impertinent; nor cou’d my Lord — be pleas’d with them at-all, if they had gone on: It wou’d be diverting to set down here, in what manner I repuls’d these sort of People; how in some I resented it as an Affront, and told them, that I was sorry they shou’d oblige me to vindicate myself from the Scandal of such Suggestions, by telling them, that I cou’d see them no more, and by desiring them not to give themselves the trouble of visiting me, who, tho’ I was not willing to be uncivil, yet thought myself oblig’d never to receive any Visit from any Gentleman, after he had made such Proposals as those to me: But these things wou’d be too tedious to bring in here; it was on this Account I propos’d to his Lordship my taking new Lodgings for Privacy; besides I consider’d that as I might live very handsomely, and yet not so publickly, so I needed not spend so much Money, by a great deal; and if I made 500 l. a Year of this generous Person, it was more than I had any Occasion to spend, by a great deal.
My Lord came readily into this Proposal, and went farther than I expected; for he found out a Lodging for me in a very handsome House, where yet he was not known; I suppose he had employ’d somebody to find it out for him; and where he had a convenient Way to come into the Garden, by a Door that open’d into the Park;211 a thing very rarely allow’d in those Times.
By this Key he cou’d come in at what time of Night or Day he pleas’d; and as we had also a little Door in the lower Part of the House, which was always left upon a Lock, and his was the Master-Key, so if it was twelve, one, or two a-Clock at Night, he cou’d come directly into my Bed-Chamber. N.B. I was not afraid I shou’d be found a-Bed with any-body else, for, in a word, I convers’d with no-body at-all.
It happen’d pleasantly enough one Night; his Lordship had staid late, and I not expecting him that Night, had taken Amy to-Bed with me, and when my Lord came into the Chamber, we were both fast asleep, I think it was near three a-Clock when he came in, and a little merry, but not at-all fuddl’d, or what they call in Drink; and he came at once into the Room.
Amy was frighted out of her Wits, and cry’d out; I said calmly, indeed my Lord, I did not expect you to-Night, and we have been a little frighted to-Night with Fire:212 O! says he, I see you have got a Bedfellow with you; I began to make an Apology, No, no, says my Lord, you need no Excuse, ’tis not a Man-Bedfellow I see; but then talking merrily enough, he catch’d his Words back; but hark-ye, says he, now I think on’t, how shall I be satisfied it is not a Man-Bedfellow? O, says I, I dare say your Lordship is satisfy’d ’tis poor Amy; yes, says he, ’tis Mrs. Amy, but how do I know what Amy is? It may be Mr.
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