[Mrs. Hughes was one of the actresses belonging to the king’s company, and one of the earliest female performers.  According to Downs, she commenced her theatrical career after the opening of Drury lane theatre, in 1663.  She appears to have been the first female representative of Desdemona.  By Prince Rupert she had a daughter, named Ruperta, married to Lieutenant-general Howe, who survived her husband many years, dying at Somerset house, about the year 1740.]

From this time, adieu alembics, crucibles, furnaces, and all the black furniture of the forges:  a complete farewell to all mathematical instruments and chemical speculations:  sweet powder and essences were now the only ingredients that occupied any share of his attention.  The impertinent gipsy chose to be attacked in form; and proudly refusing money, that, in the end she might sell her favours at a dearer rate, she caused the poor prince to act a part so unnatural, that he no longer appeared like the same person.  The king was greatly pleased with this event, for which great rejoicings were made at Tunbridge; but nobody was bold enough to make it the subject of satire, though the same constraint was not observed with other ridiculous personages.

There was dancing every day at the queen’s apartments, because the physicians recommended it, and no person thought it amiss:  for even those who cared least for it, chose that exercise to digest the waters rather than walking.  Lord Muskerry thought himself secure against his lady’s rage for dancing; for, although he was ashamed of it, the princess of Babylon was, by the grace of God, six or seven months advanced in pregnancy; and, to complete her misfortune, the child had fallen all on one side, so that even Euclid would have been puzzled to say what her figure was.  The disconsolate lady, seeing Miss Hamilton and Mrs. Wetenhall set out every morning, sometimes on horseback and sometimes in a coach, but ever attended by a gallant troop to conduct them to court, and to convey them back, she fancied a thousand times more delights at Tunbridge than in reality there were, and she did not cease in her imagination, to dance over at Summer-hill all the country dances which she thought had been danced at Tunbridge.  She could no longer support the racking torments which disturbed her mind, when relenting heaven, out of pity to her pains and sufferings, caused Lord Muskerry to repair to London, and kept him there two whole days:  as soon as ever he had turned his back, the Babylonian princess declared her resolution to make a trip to court.