Lady Venetia Stanley Digby (1600-?1633)
Aug. 26th, 2001 09:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verbminx(this has a purpose which will become more clear at a later date. but for now, enjoy the story. it comes from the Penguin edition of John Aubrey's Brief Lives; I am simply typing it up here and editing some archaic spelling, since the book was written in note form over the latter part of the 1600s. By the way, in other editions of Brief Lives and in other information I've seen about her, 1626 and 1629 are also variously given as the date of Venetia Digby's death.)
VENETIA STANLEY was the daughter of Sir Edward Stanley. She was a most beautiful desirable Creature, and being of marriageable age, was left by her father to live with a Tenant and Servants at Enston-abbey (on his land or the Earl of Derby's) in Oxfordshire: but as private as that place was, it seems her Beauty could not lie hid. The young Eagles had espied her, and she was sanguine and tractable, and of much Suavity (which to abuse was a great pity).
In those days Richard Earl of Dorset (eldest son and heir to the Lord Treasurer) lived in the greatest splendor of any nobleman of England: among other pleasures that he enjoyed, Venus was not the least. This pretty creature's fame quickly came to his Lordship's ears: who made no delay to catch at such an opportunity. I have now forgot who first brought her to Town, but I have heard my uncle Danvers say (who was her contemporary) that she was so commonly courted, and that by the Grandees, that 'twas written over her lodging one night, in capital letters, "PRAY COME NOT NEAR, FOR DAME VENETIA STANLEY LODGETH HERE."
The Earl of Dorset aforesaid was her greatest Gallant, who was extremely enamoured of her, and had one if not more children by her. He settled on her an Annuity of £500 per annum.
Among other young Sparks of that time, Sir Kenelme Digby grew acquainted with her, and fell so much in love with her that he married her, much against the good will of his Mother; but he would say, "that a wise man, and lusty, could make an honest woman out of a brothel-house."
Sir Edmund Wyld had her picture (and you may imagine was very familiar with her), which picture is now at Droitwytch, in Worcestershire, at an Inne, where now the Towne keep their Meetings. Also at Mr Rose's, a Jeweller in Henrietta-street in Convent-garden is an excellent piece of hers, drawn after she was newly dead.
She had a most lovely and sweet-turn'd face, delicate dark-brown hair: she had a perfectly healthy constitution; strong; good skin; well-proportioned; much enclining to a Bona roba***. Her face, a short oval. Dark brown eyebrow: about which much sweetness, as also at the opening of her eyelids. The colour of her cheeks was just that of the Damask-rose: which is neither too hot, nor too pale. She was of a just stature, not very tall.
Sir Kenelme had several Pictures of her, by Van Dyke, etc. He had her hands cast in plaster: and her feet: and her Face. See Ben Jonson's second Volume, where he hath made her live in Poetry, in his drawing of her both Body and Mind.
Sitting and ready to be drawn
What makes these Tiffany silks and lawn,
Embroideries feathers fringes lace,
When every Limb takes like a Face!
(etc)
When these Verses were made she had three Children by Sir Kenelme, who are there mentioned, viz. Kenelme, George, and John.
She died in her bed suddenly. Some suspected that she was poisoned. When her head was opened, there was found but little brain, which her husband imputed, to her drinking of viper-wine. But spiteful women would say, that 'twas a viper-husband who was jealous of her that she would steal a Leap.
I have heard some say, e.g. my cousin Elizabeth Falkner, that after her marriage, she redeemed her Honour by her strict living. Once a year the Earl of Dorset invited her an Sir Kenelme to dinner, where the Earl would behold her with much passion, and only kiss her hand.
Sir Kenelme erected to her memory a sumptuous and stately Monument at Grey Friars [Christ Church] (near Newgate-street) in the east end of the South aisle, where her body lies in a vault of Brick-work, over which there are three steps of black marble, on which was a stately altar of black marble with four Inscriptions in copper gilt affixed to it. Upon this altar her Bust of Copper gilt, all which (unless the vault, which was only opened a little by the fall) is utterly destroyed by the great Conflagration. [1666 Great Fire of London. - V.] Among the Monuments in the Booke mentioned in Sir Kenelm Digby's life is to be seen a curious draught of this Monument [of which Aubrey provides a marginal sketch], with copies of the several Inscriptions.
About 1676, or 1675, as I was walking through Newgate-street, I saw Dame Venetia's Bust standing at a Stall at the golden Cross, a Brasier's shop; I perfectly remembered it; but the fire had got-off the Gilding: but taking notice of it to one that was with me, I could never see it afterwards exposed to the street. They melted it down. How these curiousities would be quite forgot, did not such idle fellows as I am put them down!
[Aubrey goes on to describe locations of various portraits, which I'm cropping a bit, to leave in only the salacious bits.]
Venetia Stanley was first a Miss to Sir Edmund Wyld, who had her Picture, which after his death, Serjeant Wyld (his Executor) had, and since the serjeant's death, hangs now in an Entertaining-room at Droitwich in Worcestershire. The Serjeant lived at Droitwich.
Mr Freeman (who married the Lady Lake) has the Duke of Monmouth's mother's picture very like her, at Stanmore near Harrow on the Hill. [She was] Mistress Lucy Walters who could deny no body.
***this is defined in the glossary as "a warm-blooded woman with a healthy enjoyment of sex."
VENETIA STANLEY was the daughter of Sir Edward Stanley. She was a most beautiful desirable Creature, and being of marriageable age, was left by her father to live with a Tenant and Servants at Enston-abbey (on his land or the Earl of Derby's) in Oxfordshire: but as private as that place was, it seems her Beauty could not lie hid. The young Eagles had espied her, and she was sanguine and tractable, and of much Suavity (which to abuse was a great pity).
In those days Richard Earl of Dorset (eldest son and heir to the Lord Treasurer) lived in the greatest splendor of any nobleman of England: among other pleasures that he enjoyed, Venus was not the least. This pretty creature's fame quickly came to his Lordship's ears: who made no delay to catch at such an opportunity. I have now forgot who first brought her to Town, but I have heard my uncle Danvers say (who was her contemporary) that she was so commonly courted, and that by the Grandees, that 'twas written over her lodging one night, in capital letters, "PRAY COME NOT NEAR, FOR DAME VENETIA STANLEY LODGETH HERE."
The Earl of Dorset aforesaid was her greatest Gallant, who was extremely enamoured of her, and had one if not more children by her. He settled on her an Annuity of £500 per annum.
Among other young Sparks of that time, Sir Kenelme Digby grew acquainted with her, and fell so much in love with her that he married her, much against the good will of his Mother; but he would say, "that a wise man, and lusty, could make an honest woman out of a brothel-house."
Sir Edmund Wyld had her picture (and you may imagine was very familiar with her), which picture is now at Droitwytch, in Worcestershire, at an Inne, where now the Towne keep their Meetings. Also at Mr Rose's, a Jeweller in Henrietta-street in Convent-garden is an excellent piece of hers, drawn after she was newly dead.
She had a most lovely and sweet-turn'd face, delicate dark-brown hair: she had a perfectly healthy constitution; strong; good skin; well-proportioned; much enclining to a Bona roba***. Her face, a short oval. Dark brown eyebrow: about which much sweetness, as also at the opening of her eyelids. The colour of her cheeks was just that of the Damask-rose: which is neither too hot, nor too pale. She was of a just stature, not very tall.
Sir Kenelme had several Pictures of her, by Van Dyke, etc. He had her hands cast in plaster: and her feet: and her Face. See Ben Jonson's second Volume, where he hath made her live in Poetry, in his drawing of her both Body and Mind.
Sitting and ready to be drawn
What makes these Tiffany silks and lawn,
Embroideries feathers fringes lace,
When every Limb takes like a Face!
(etc)
When these Verses were made she had three Children by Sir Kenelme, who are there mentioned, viz. Kenelme, George, and John.
She died in her bed suddenly. Some suspected that she was poisoned. When her head was opened, there was found but little brain, which her husband imputed, to her drinking of viper-wine. But spiteful women would say, that 'twas a viper-husband who was jealous of her that she would steal a Leap.
I have heard some say, e.g. my cousin Elizabeth Falkner, that after her marriage, she redeemed her Honour by her strict living. Once a year the Earl of Dorset invited her an Sir Kenelme to dinner, where the Earl would behold her with much passion, and only kiss her hand.
Sir Kenelme erected to her memory a sumptuous and stately Monument at Grey Friars [Christ Church] (near Newgate-street) in the east end of the South aisle, where her body lies in a vault of Brick-work, over which there are three steps of black marble, on which was a stately altar of black marble with four Inscriptions in copper gilt affixed to it. Upon this altar her Bust of Copper gilt, all which (unless the vault, which was only opened a little by the fall) is utterly destroyed by the great Conflagration. [1666 Great Fire of London. - V.] Among the Monuments in the Booke mentioned in Sir Kenelm Digby's life is to be seen a curious draught of this Monument [of which Aubrey provides a marginal sketch], with copies of the several Inscriptions.
About 1676, or 1675, as I was walking through Newgate-street, I saw Dame Venetia's Bust standing at a Stall at the golden Cross, a Brasier's shop; I perfectly remembered it; but the fire had got-off the Gilding: but taking notice of it to one that was with me, I could never see it afterwards exposed to the street. They melted it down. How these curiousities would be quite forgot, did not such idle fellows as I am put them down!
[Aubrey goes on to describe locations of various portraits, which I'm cropping a bit, to leave in only the salacious bits.]
Venetia Stanley was first a Miss to Sir Edmund Wyld, who had her Picture, which after his death, Serjeant Wyld (his Executor) had, and since the serjeant's death, hangs now in an Entertaining-room at Droitwich in Worcestershire. The Serjeant lived at Droitwich.
Mr Freeman (who married the Lady Lake) has the Duke of Monmouth's mother's picture very like her, at Stanmore near Harrow on the Hill. [She was] Mistress Lucy Walters who could deny no body.
***this is defined in the glossary as "a warm-blooded woman with a healthy enjoyment of sex."
