what I am now going to tell you out of pure friendship:
your passion and inclinations for Miss Temple are known
to every one but herself; for whatever methods you
used to impose upon her innocence, the world does
her the justice to believe that she would treat you
as Lady Falmouth did, if the poor girl knew the wicked
designs you had upon her: I caution you, therefore,
against making any farther advances, to a person,
too modest to listen to them: I advise you likewise
to take back your maid again, in order to silence
her scandalous tongue; for she says everywhere, that
she is with child, that you are the occasion of her
being in that condition, and accuses you of behaving
towards her with the blackest ingratitude, upon trifling
suspicions only: you know very well, these are
no stories of my own invention; but that you may not
entertain any manner of doubt, that I had all this
from her own mouth, she has told me your conversation
in the bathing-room, the characters you there drew
of the principal men at court, your artful malice in
applying so improperly a scandalous song to one of
the loveliest women in all England; and in what manner
the innocent girl fell into the snare you had laid
for her, in order to do justice to her charms.
But that which might be of the most fatal consequences
to you in that long conversation, is the revealing
certain secrets, which, in all probability, the duchess
did not entrust you with, to be imparted to the maids
of honour: reflect upon this, and neglect not
to make some reparation to Sir Lyttleton, for the
ridicule with which you were pleased to load him.
I know not whether he had his information from your
femme-de-chambre, but I am very certain that he has
sworn he will be revenged, and he is a man that keeps
his word; for after all, that you may not be deceived
by his look, like that of a Stoic, and his gravity,
like that of a judge, I must acquaint you, that he
is the most passionate man living. Indeed, these
invectives are of the blackest and most horrible nature:
he says it is most infamous, that a wretch like yourself
should find no other employment than to blacken the
characters of gentlemen, to gratify your jealousy;
that if you do not desist from such conduct for the
future, he will immediately complain of you; and that
if her royal highness will not do him justice, he
is determined to do himself justice, and to run you
through the body with his own sword, though you were
even in the arms of Miss Temple; and that it is most
scandalous that all the maids of honour should get
into your hands before they can look around them.
“These things, madam, I thought it my duty to acquaint you with: you are better able to judge than myself, whether what I have now advanced be true, and I leave it to your own discretion to make what use you think proper of my advice; but were I in your situation, I would endeavour to reconcile Lord Rochester and Miss Temple. Once more I recommend to you to take care that your endeavours to mislead her innocency, in order to blast his honour, may not come to his knowledge; and do not estrange from her a man who tenderly loves her, and whose probity is so great, that he would not even suffer his eyes to wander towards her, if his intention was not to make her his wife.”