38 Sporting and Rural Records of the Cheveley Estate. 



Cheveley. stud, and at the same time supervised the numerous packs of 



Appointed 



hounds which His Royal Highness maintained in those days in 



Master of the State of efficiency quite unlinown in the King's estabhshments. If 

 Horse to the ^yg j,^,^ j-gjy q^ Qg Grammont's " Memoirs," this once owner of 

 Duke of York. „, , . 111 1 • i 



Cheveley is reputed to have been a commonplace person with a 



large head, small legs, pleasing features, affected in his carriage 

 and behaviour. This, however, can hardly be accepted as an 

 impartial representation, as no individual thus portrayed could have 

 acquired and sustained the popularity he so long enjoyed at the 

 His gallantries, brilliant Court of Charles II. There is no doubt he found favour 

 with the fair sex to such an extent as to be triumphant in all his 

 intrigues. One of these successful amours occasioned a duel with 

 the Hon. Thomas Howard, in which Jermyn received three wounds, 

 and was carried from the scene of the encounter to his uncle's 

 town house w'ith very little signs of life. 



In consequence of this misfortune Jermyn was obliged to 

 retire to Cheveley until his wounds became healed — a consumma- 

 tion which was soon effected by the salubrious peculiarities of that 

 charming locality. On his reappearance at Court soon after, he 

 was cordially received by the fair sex, with whom he was a greater 

 favourite than ever. Though his reputation was somewhat 

 diminished, though his head was deemed to be larger and his legs 

 more slender than ever, yet Miss Jennings, one of the Court 

 beauties, thought she had never seen a man so perfect, and, yield- 

 ing to her destiny, fell in love with him. It is said he was not in 

 the least surprised at this conquest, for his heart very soon had as 

 great a share in it as his vanity, and he quietly enjoyed the happi- 

 ness of seeing the inclinations of the prettiest and one of the most 

 extraordinary ladies in England declared in his favour. Many 

 courtiers now complimented Miss Jennings on having reduced to 

 this situation the terror of husbands and the plague of lovers, and 

 fervent were the hopes of many that the reformed rake would become 

 a model husband. But all these expectations proved fallacious, partly 

 owing to the following circumstances. For a wager of 500 guineas 



