Reform, great queen, the errors of your youth, And hear a thing you never heard, called Truth. Poor private balls content the Fairy Queen; You must dance, and dance damnably, to be seen. Ill-natured little goblin, and designed For nothing but to dance and vex mankind, What wiser thing could our great monarch do, Than root ambition out, by showing you? You can the most aspiring thoughts pull down. ] [Footnote 295: Sheffield Duke of Buckingham's Memoirs.] [Footnote 296: "A Letter to a Person of Honour concerning the Black-box." "A Letter to a Person of Honour concerning the King's disavowing the having been married to the Duke of Monmouth's Mother."] [Footnote 297: Sir John Rereby's Memoirs, p. 170.] [Footnote 298: See note XX.] [Footnote 299: Sir John Dalrymple narrates this anecdote, Vol. I. p. 187. 8vo edit. The Editor has often heard it mentioned by his father, who was curious in historical antiquities, and who gave it on the report of his grandfather, to whom Captain Scott had told the story. According to this last authority, which the relationship between the parties renders probable, the intercepted letter contained some details concerning the Prince of Orange's intrigues with Monmouth, and the duplicity of Sunderland. It is more than probable, if that wise prince encouraged Monmouth in his enterprise, it could only be with the purpose of hastening his destruction.] [Footnote 300: Sheffield Duke of Buckingham's Memoirs, p. 12.] [Footnote 301: Cartes' Life of the Duke of Ormond. Vol. II. pp. 531, 533.] [Footnote 302: Memoirs, p. 12.] [Footnote 303: Vol. VII. p. 80.] [Footnote 304: It is entitled, "On the three Dukes killing the Beadle on Sunday morning, February 26th 1670-1." The moral runs thus: See what mishaps dare even invade Whitehall; This silly fellow's death puts off the ball; And disappoints the Queen, poor little chuck, I warrant 'twould have danced it like a duck: The fidlers voices entries all the sport; And the gay show put off, where the brisk court Anticipates in rich subsidy coats, All that is got by mercenary votes; Yet shall Whitehall, the innocent, the good, See these men dance all daubed with lace and blood. ] [Footnote 305: Alluding to the king's well known intrigue with Nell Gwyn.] [Footnote 306: The Duke was then captain of the king's horse guards.]