Page:Diary of the times of Charles II Vol. I.djvu/39

Rh great a love of pleasure." This sweet and caressing temper, combined with great personal attractions, produced their full effect; and there are many proofs, is the present collection of papers, of the influence they gave him over the hearts of women; of which influence he appears to have been withheld by no principle from taking every advantage.

The adventures referred to by Burnet, that became very public at Court, besides his reported intrigue, when quite a young man, with the Duchess of York, and to which allusion is made in a letter of Montague's in this collection, appear to relate chiefly to the case of a Mrs. Worthley, a person of an ancient family and highly connected, who, unfortunately for herself, upon the death of her husband, fell in Sidney's way, and lived with him as his mistress for twenty years. At length, deserted and in distress, having in vain applied to Sidney, she threw herself at the feet both of Charles and James, and published her case and her injuries to the world.

From among many of her letters of appeal to him, the two following have been selected as written in a milder and quieter spirit of remonstrance than many others.