At the time of her appearance at Whitehall, Frances Stuart was in
her fifteenth year. Even in a court distinguished by the beauty
of women, her loveliness was declared unsurpassed. Her features
were regular and refined, her complexion fair as alabaster, her
hair bright and luxuriant, her eyes of violet hue; moreover, her
figure being tall, straight, and shapely, her movements possessed
an air of exquisite grace. An exact idea of her lineaments may
be gained unto this day, from the fact that Philip Rotier, the
medallist, who loved her true, represented her likeness in the
face of Britannia on the reverse of coins; and so faithful was
the likeness, we are assured, that no one who had ever seen her
could mistake who had sat as model of the figure.
Soon after her arrival in England, she was appointed one of the
maids of honour to Queen Catherine, and as such was present at
all festivities of the court. Now, at one of the great balls
given in honour of the Duke of Monmouth's nuptials, the fair
Frances Stuart appeared in the full lustre of her charms. Her
beauty, her grace, and her youth completely eclipsed the more
showy gifts of my Lady Castlemaine, who on this occasion looked
pale and thin, she being in the commencement of another
pregnancy, "which the king was pleased to place to his own
account." The merry monarch had before this time been attracted
by the fair maid of honour, but now it was evident his heart had
found a new object of admiration in her surpassing beauty.
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