The Windsor Beauties

"The Duchess of York wished to have the portraits of the most beautiful
women at Court," Anthony Hamilton wrote in the Memoirs of
Count Grammont. "Lely painted them, and employed all his art in the
execution. He could not have had more alluring sitters. Every portrait is
a masterpiece."


The original set of "Beauties" painted by Lely were, as we find from
James II's catalogue, eleven in number, their names being Barbara,
Duchess of Cleveland (ne'e Villiers); Frances, Duchess of Richmond and
Lennox (ne'e Stuart); Mrs. Jane Myddleton (ne'e Needham); Elizabeth,
Countess of Northumberland (ne'e Wriothesley); Elizabeth, Countess of
Falmouth (ne'e Bagot); Elizabeth, Lady Denham (ne'e Brooke); Frances,
Lady Whitmore (ne'e Brooke); Henrietta, Countess of Rochester (ne'e
Boyle); Elizabeth, Countess de Grammont (ne'e Hamilton); and Madame
d'Orleans.


It will be seen that in this list of "Beauties" Anne Hyde, Duchess of
York, does not figure; but since she was responsible for the collection, it
would be peculiarly ungracious to omit her from a volume that treats of
it. Also, she deserves inclusion for her supreme courage in selecting the
sitters--for what must the ladies who were not chosen have said and
thought of her?


Nor in the series are Nell Gwyn, Louise de Ke'roualle, and the
Duchess Mazarin; but no account of the social life of the Court of
Charles II can possibly omit mention of them, and therefore something
has been said about each of these ladies.


The new Revised Edition restores Melville's masterpiece of the intricate
relationships and day-by-day account of court life in the reign of
Charles II of England. This edition also adds a new glossary, bibliography,
and extended footnotes for the lay history reader. Also included
are first-ever translations of French language poems, letters, and epitaphs
completed by Coby Fletcher.



More information at www.VictorianHeritage.com