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Jane Douglas (1761)

The Covent Garden Calendar - Chapter IV.

Chapter IV.


An account of Jane's adventures at Edinburgh.

            Our Heroine being arrived at Edinburgh, soon became known to all the dissolute and debauched young fellows of that city: for though there is a great exterior show of piety at Edinburgh, there are perhaps, in proportion, as many debauchees there as elsewhere. Here she was taken into keeping by one Captain Hunter, who finding that she had made him a present of a certain disease, with the name of which we do not choose to stain our history, kicked her out of doors, whereupon, she was obliged once more to have course to street-walking. The first cully she met with was a presbyterian parson, from whom she purloined a watch and a purse, containing ten guineas, but her canonical lover not caring to expose his character, thought proper to abide by his loss.

            Jane being now rich, equipped herself in such a manner as to attract the attention of many Edinburgh beaus, and as she had taken care to get herself cured of the disease abovementioned, she became highly acceptable to them. Their parties of pleasure were always thought imperfect without her, and as she surpassed all her sister whores in swearing and obscene talk, she was universally allowed to be the heartiest girl in the town. She could drink punch to such a degree, that she once drank for a wager with two sea-officers; and when they were quite overpowered with the liquor, rifled them and marched off.

            Her pilfering temper having disgusted this new set of acquaintance, she went to live with Mother R––, an Irish bawd, who understood her business the best of any of the profession in Edinburgh, and was by her initiated into those secrets of which she afterwards so availed herself.

            As she became extremely useful to Mother R–– as well in the management of the house as her engaging behaviour to all that frequented it, the latter chose her as an assistant in the laborious business of keeping a public house for the reception of the votaries of Venus; and Jane, who never neglected her own interest, found means hereby to fill her private purse; but this she did in so cautious and circumspect a manner that mother R––never entertained the least suspicion of her. Thus did Jane prosper for a time, but her good fortune did not last, as the reader will see by and by.

            A quarrel happening soon after at Mother R––n's, Jane, in the scuffle, received a contusion, which rendered her entirely incapable of business; and the prudent bawd not caring to be at the expense of getting her cured, thought it most advisable to turn her out of doors, Thus Jane found herself in a worse hole than ever.

            But happening accidentally to meet with a charitable Christian, she told him a moving tale, which had such an effect upon his compassionate temper, that he caused her to be received into an hospital, where she was cured in a short time; and no sooner did she quit it, but she began to patrol again, according to custom.

            But fortune, which intended her for greater things, would not suffer her long to walk the streets. She happened one Sunday night to be surprised in a familiar posture with a young fellow in a by Lane of Edinburgh: her gallant whether by bribery or mere accident found means to make off, but Jane had the misfortune to be brought before a magistrate, and, as she unluckily happened to have a more extensive reputation than a person of her way of life would desire, she was for this and many former misdemeanours, condemned to be publicly whipped and turned out of the city.

            This punishment, Jane, who was not of the most delicate constitution, bore with the utmost fortitude: and having a small sum of money which she had found in the pocket of one of her lovers remaining, resolved to retire with it to London, having a secret impulse, that she would in time make a fortune in that metropolis.

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