Philobiblon

The following is from the commonplace book/diary of a law student, John Manningham:

Folio 44b
October 1602

The Earl of Sussex keepes Mrs. Sylvester Morgan (sometyme his ladies gentlewoman) at Dr. Daylies house as his mistress, calls hir his Countesse, hyres Captain Whitlocke, with monie and cast suites, to brave his countes, with telling of hir howe he buyes his wench a wascote of 10£, and puts hir in hir velvet gowne, &c.

Thus not content to abuse hir by keeping a common wench, he strives to invent meanes to of more greife to his lady, whoe is of a verry goodly and comely personage, of excellent presence, and a rare witt.

Shee hath brought the Earl to allowe hir 1700£ a yeare for the maintenaunce of hir selfe and hir children while she lives apart.

It is conjectured that Captain Whitlocke, like a base pander, hath incited the Earl to followe this sensuall humour, of preferring strang fleshe before his owne, as he did the Earl of Rutland.

…The Countesse is the daughter to the Lady Morrison in Hartfordshire, with whom it is like she purposeth to live.

“I would be loath to come after him to a wench for feare of the pox,” said Mr Curl of Earl of Sussex.

I silently extended the contractions, but left the original spellings, from p. 97-98, Sorlien, R.P. (ed) The Diary of John Manningham of the Middle Temple 1602-1603, Uni Press of New England, Hanover, 1976.