Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837; George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
Others are (all in the same month), 'ROYAL KITCHEN STUFF! or a Great
Man _come down_ to visit his most Obed^t humble Servants!!! (vide the
amusements of Brighton).' The Prince has a fat cook round the neck,
kissing her, and saying, 'Don't be alarmed, my dear! I only want to
see how my private affairs get on below here, so show me your Kitchen
Stuff.' The cook, who beats him with a ladle, says, 'La, Sir! what will
the people say when they hear of your meddling so often with things
beneath you? Depend upon it, you'll be call'd over the Coals, and
finely roasted for this.' A maid-servant has hold of his coat-tails,
and calls out, 'Baste him well! Give him Goose without Gravy!' On
the floor lie two papers--one, 'Theatre Royal, Brighton, By Command of
the Prince Regent, High life below Stairs, with Animal Magnetism'; the
other is,
'When _Bottle the eighth_, I get through,
I make love in a style so bewitching,
That most female hearts I subdue,
From the Drawing-room down to the Kitchen.'
Another is, 'He stoops to Conquer, or the Royal George _Sunk_. This
is not the Royal George that was sunk at Spithead, this was sunk at
Brighton.' A third is entitled 'Beauties of Grease, or Luxuries of the
Kremlin'; and a fourth is, 'Royal George in the Kitchen, or High life
below Stairs.' The Prince, with a bumper in his hand, nurses a cook on
his knee, to whom he remarks:
'You may baste meat at leisure,
It's my will and pleasure
Distinctions between you and me,
Henceforward shall cease,
In love, and in peace,
The P--e and his Cook shall agree.'
It would seem, also, that he gave a servants' ball at Christmas, 1820,
at the Pavilion, for there is a satirical print, published January 24,
1821, called 'LOW LIFE ABOVE STAIRS, _or the Humours of the_ Great Baby
_at_ B...ht.n.' The King is dancing with a fat kitchenmaid, whilst
Lady Conyngham looks on in rage and wonder.
'Releas'd from all the toils of State,
From care and sorrow free,
The humorous Wag of pond'rous weight,
Gives way to mirth and glee.
'"To all the Servants of my house,"
Said G--e, "I'll give a ball;
Haste, mirth and revelry let loose,
Come forward, one and all.
'"I've supped within my Kitchen range,
But I'll descend no more;
The scene, this night, I'll wholly change,
Upstairs invite uproar.
'"No virtuous women visit me--
They dread to lose their name--
I'll condescend--with those make free
Who never blush'd with shame.
'"'Twas wrong when C----e[95] eat, perchance,
With Vassali and Bergami,
I'll eat with Cooks, with Scullions dance--
I can't do wrong, G--d d--n me."
'The Orchestra made noble sport,
Old Bags,[96] the bag-pipes squeez'd,
A ricketty Cabinet pianoforte
Old Sid[97] and L----l[98] teaz'd.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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