Aphra Behn - The Works of Aphra Behn

Mother Somelie is, of course, the notorious Mother Mosely.

Henry Payne wrote several loyal pamphlets, and after the Revolution he became, according to Burnet, ‘the most active and determined of all King James’ agents.’ He is said to have been the chief instigator of the Montgomery plot in 1690, and whilst in Scotland was arrested. 10 and 11 December of that year he was severely tortured under a special order of William III, but nothing could be extracted from him. This is the last occasion on which torture was applied in Scotland. After being treated with harshest cruelty by William III, Payne was finally released from prison in December, 1700, or January, 1701, as the Duke of Queensbury, recognizing the serious illegalities of the whole business, urgently advised his liberation. Payne died in 1710. As Macaulay consistently confounds him with a certain Edward Neville, S.J., the statements of this historian with reference to Henry Neville Payne must be entirely disregarded.

The Fair Jilt. Editio princeps, ‘London. Printed by R. Holt for Will. Canning , at his Shop in the Temple-Cloysters ’ (1688), ‘Licensed 17 April, 1688. Ric. Pocock ’, has as title: The Fair Jilt; or, The History of Prince Tarquin and Miranda . As half-title it prints: The Fair Hypocrite; or, The Amours of Prince Tarquin and Miranda . All subsequent editions, however, give: The Fair Jilt; or, The Amours of Prince Tarquin and Miranda . The Dedication only occurs in the first edition.