"
He therefore, Heath records, began an amour with a lady of lesser
note--Mrs. Lambert, the wife of a puritan, herself a lady devoted
to psalm singing and audible prayer when, not otherwise
pleasantly engaged.
The general character of many news-sheets of the day proves that
morality under the Republic was at a low ebb. Anarchy in a
kingdom invariably favours dissoluteness in a people, inasmuch as
the disturbance of civil order tends to unsettle moral law.
Homes being divided amongst themselves by political strife,
paternal care was suspended, and filial respect ignored. In the
general confusion which obtained, the distinction of social codes
was overlooked. Lord Clarendon states that; during this unhappy
period, young people of either sex were "educated in all the
liberty of vice, without reprehension or restraint." He adds,
"The young women conversed without any circumspection or modesty,
and frequently met at taverns and common eating-houses." An
additional description of the ways and manners of young maidens
under the Republic is given in a rare and curious pamphlet
entitled "A Character of England as it was lately presented in a
Letter to a Nobleman of France"; printed in the year 1659, for
Jo. Crooke, and sold at the Ship in St. Paul's Yard. Having
spoken of taverns where "fury and intemperance" reign, and where,
"that nothing may be wanting to the height of luxury and impiety,
organs have been translated out of the churches for the purpose
of chanting their dithyrambics and bestiall bacchanalias to the
tune of those instruments which were wont to assist them in the
celebration of God's praises," the writer continues: "Your
lordship will scarce believe me that the ladies of greatest
quality suffer themselves to be treated in one of those taverns,
where a curtezan in other cities would scarcely vouchsafe to be
entertained; but you will be more astonish't when I shall assure
you that they drink their crowned cups roundly, strain healths
through their smocks, daunce after the fiddle, kiss freely, and
tearm it an honourable treat.
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