The marriage took place, and the couple set off to Rome.
Here the Chevalier again received him with open arms, and took the
opportunity of displaying his imaginary sovereignty by bestowing on him
the Order of the Garter--a politeness the duke returned by wearing while
there the no less unrecognised title of Duke of Northumberland, which
'His Majesty' had formerly conferred on him. But James III., though no
saint, had more respect for decent conduct than his father and uncle;
the duke ran off into every species of excess, got into debt as usual--
'When Wharton's just, and learns to pay his debts,
And reputation dwells at Mother Brett's,
* * * * *
Then, Celia, shall my constant passion cease,
And my poor suff'ring heart shall be at peace,'
says a satirical poem of the day, called 'The Duke of Wharton's
_Whens_'--was faithless to the wife he had lately been dying for; and
in short, such a thorough blackguard, that not even the Jacobites could
tolerate him, and they turned him out of the Holy City till he should
learn not to bring dishonour on the court of their fictitious sovereign.
The duke was not the man to be much ashamed of himself, though his poor
wife may now have begun to think her late mistress in the right, and he
was probably glad of an excuse for another change.
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