[Bishop Burnet, taking notice of the Duke of York's amours, says,
"a story was set about, and generally believed, that the Earl of
Southesk, that had married a daughter of the Duke of Hamilton's,
suspecting some familiarities between the duke and his wife, had
taken a sure method to procure a disease to himself, which he
communicated to his wife, and was, by that means, sent round till it
came to the duchess. Lord Southesk was, for some years, not ill
pleased to have this believed. It looked like a peculiar strain of
revenge, with which he seemed much delighted. But I know he has, to
some of his friends, denied the whole of the story very solemnly."
--history of His Own Times, vol. i., p. 319. It is worthy of notice
that the passage in the text was omitted in most editions of
Grammont, and retained in that of Strawberry-hill, in 1772.]

Lady Robarts was then in the zenith of her glory; her beauty was
striking; yet, notwithstanding the brightness of the finest complexion,
with all the bloom of youth, and with every requisite for inspiring
desire, she nevertheless was not attractive. The Duke of York, however,
would probably have been successful, if difficulties, almost
insurmountable, had not disappointed his good intentions: Lord Robarts,
her husband, was an old, snarling, troublesome, peevish fellow, in love
with her to distraction, and to complete her misery, a perpetual
attendant on her person.

She perceived his Royal Highness's attachment to her, and seemed as if
she was inclined to be grateful: this redoubled his eagerness, and every
outward mark of tenderness he could possibly show her; but the watchful
husband redoubling his zeal and assiduity, as he found the approaches
advance, every art was practised to render him tractable: several attacks