Page:Life and transactions of Mrs Jane Shore (1).pdf/12

12 often left them alone and the King courted her with all his rhetoric, yet ſhe appeared averſe to his love, and often blamed him ſharply for perſuading her to defile her huſband’s bed; and then ſhe would chide Mrs Blague for ſuffering ſuch a rude man to come to her houſe, telling her the deſign he had on her chaſtity; ſhe ſeemed very much ſurprised at it, but intreating her to be at eaſe, for ſhe would not ſuffer him to come there again any more.

This pacified her, but the plot was ſtill deeper laid for her ruin, and at Chriſtmas time, ſhe got leave of Mr Shore for his wife to accompany her to the court, to see the ball there, to which he conſented with ſome unwillingneſs. And ſoon after ſhe was introduced, a man of very comely port, entered with a maſk on; and Mrs Shore heard the ladies whiſper, That’s the King; who looked round through his maſk, fixed his eyes upon her, immediately ſtepped to her ſeat, took her out to dance along with him.