discovered; for, before a year of her married life had passed,
she renewed her intrigue with the Duke of York. His love for her
seemed to have increased a thousandfold since fate had given her
to the possession of another. At royal drawing-rooms he took
her aside and talked to her "in the sight of all the world," and
whenever she moved away from him he followed her like a dog.

Indeed, he made no effort to screen his passion, for not only did
he make love to her in presence of the court, but he visited her
at noonday, attended by his gentlemen, before all the town. Nor
did Lady Denham desire to conceal the honour with which, she
considered, this amour covered her, but openly declared she would
"not be his mistress, as Mrs. Price, to go up and down the privy
stairs, but will be owned publicly;" and in this respect she
obtained her desire. Meanwhile Sir John was rendered miserable;
and, indeed, his desperation soon overthrew his reason, and
rendered him a lunatic. This affection first appeared during a
journey he made to the famous free-stone quarries near Portland
in Dorset. When he came within a mile of his destination, he
suddenly turned back, and proceeded to Hounslow, where he
demanded rents for lands he had disposed of years before; and
then hastening to town sought out the king and informed him he
was the Holy Ghost.

This madness lasted but a short time; and the first use he made
of his recovered senses was to plot vengeance on his wife. Now
there was one honour which she coveted above all others, that of
being appointed a lady of the bedchamber to the Duchess of York.
This her royal lover, following the example of his majesty,
sought to obtain for her; but the duchess, who had already