A Walk with Ferrers

By Jeannine Kerwin

February 8, 1663

“and Captn. Ferrers telling me, among other Court passages…”

On one level Sam’s walk today with Captain Ferrers may simply seem to gloss over tidbits of Court gossip, yet two of these stories reflect re-occurring themes that will continue throughout the reign of Charles II and therefore be presented in Sam’s diary: 1) The mock marriage takes place amidst the unwieldy world where sex, money, power and politics overlap; 2) The Titling of Monmouth casts a shadow over the question of succession and increases an aura of unrest in a not so stable nation.

This essay provides some background information on each story, summarizing the resources cited below and by the nature of the subject matter will contain historical as opposed to daily entry spoilers.

Comments

• N Judith Bush on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 12:56am

  Thank you for such a wonderful explication on the entry.

• N Todd Bernhardt on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 01:13am

  Fantastic!! Thanks, Jeannine.

• N Michael Robinson on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 02:02am

  Completely Bowled over

  How do you find the time for the reading? Let alone writing of this calibre …

• N in Aqua Scripto on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 03:35am

  Thank you Jeannine for the wonderful explanation of the facts of court life.

• N Peter on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 09:34am

  Brava, Jeannine!

• N A. Hamilton on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 11:58am

  Jeannine,

  This shows real mastery and provides a most beguiling glimpse of the court of Charles II and its hothouse politics.
  I eagerly anticipate more.

• N Terry on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 12:49pm

  Thank you Jeannine, this is brilliant!

• N andy on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 02:05pm

  fascinating, adds so much more to Sam’s account.

• N Terry F on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 07:54pm

  Jeanine, back to the Bedchamber with mastery!
  You told me you had something in the works, and this, as others have said, adds depth — to a backstory that quickly became grist for the rumour-mill that was Charles’s court!

• N Pedro on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 09:48pm

  Is there no end to her talents?

  Jeannine who, I perceive, is a pretty knowing woman and a scholler.

• N Bradford on Thu 9 Feb 2006, 10:15pm

  The distillation of so much research into such a sparkling elixir—-it’s better than Rhenish, and no nasty hangover!

• N Australian Susan on Sat 11 Feb 2006, 05:17am

  Many thanks for such wonderful erudition so very well written! Great insights and much to mull over.

  Was Frances Stuart a relative of the Royal Family?

  Knowing what happened eventually (the disaster of the Battle of Sedgmoor and Monmouth’s subsequent execution), the advancement of Monmouth is quite chilling.

• N Australian Susan on Sat 11 Feb 2006, 05:19am

  Another thought

  Did Frances have parents alive to offer guidance and protection? or was she cast adrift in Court life? Is it because she was orphaned that the QM offered her protection?

• N Ruben on Sat 11 Feb 2006, 05:58am

  (Sabado, Lord’s day). Up, and it being a very great frost,to my office and red Pepys last adventures and the familiar annotators to augment the pleasure of it all.
  Then (after Phil’s indication) I red Jeannine’s article about the Court’s maneuvering.
  This is the best explanation I ever saw in my life! I am sure Pepys would have enjoyed to read it!
  Jeannine, you are wonderful!
  Thank you for this time consuming effort and your talents!

• N jeannine on Sat 11 Feb 2006, 12:10pm

  Susan, Frances was a distant relative of Charles, not exactly sure how related (second-cousin or what), but at one point when people will be full of gossip as to Charles marrying her, this “relation” will make her an “appropriate” choice status wise. Her mother was also here (at some point) living with Henrietta Marie. That twosome is seen as somewhat scheming behind the scenes from time. When she arrived here she was still quite young (about 12 as I recall). Another thing to note, like Lady Castlemaine, Charles will find her a position in Catherine’s court and eventually set her up with her own private apartments, etc., but never becasue she asked. She wasn’t greedy or demanding, it just wasn’t the type of person who she was.

• N Australian Susan on Sat 11 Feb 2006, 10:39pm

  Thank you for the further information, Jeannine. From what you had written, I had gathered that Frances was rather an innocent, which led me to wonder if she had protectors: but it seems from what you have just written, that those who should have been looking out for her, were really looking out for the main chance and using her. But it looks as though her natural attributes stood her in good stead.

• N language hat on Wed 15 Feb 2006, 08:45pm

  Magnificent!
  Late to the party, but I had to add my congratulations. (I was away from my computer for a week and a half, hence my silence till now.)

• N david ross mcirvine on Thu 2 Mar 2006, 09:53pm

  Nice work, thank you for writing and publishing this!
  david