Mary Rich, Countess of Warwick
Mary Rich, Countess of Warwick (1625-1678), writes about the influence that Elizabeth Killigrew, mistress of Charles II, had on herself in her Autobiography (c.1672).
About this time [c. 1638] my fourth brother, Master Francis Boyle then (afterward Lord Shannon), was by my father married to Mistress Elizabeth Killigrew, daughter to my Lady Stafford; and my brother being then judged to be too young to live with his wife, was a day or two after the celebrating [of] the marriage (which was done before the King and Queen) at Whitehall (she being then a maid of honour to the Queen) sent into France to travel, and his wife then brought to our house where she and I became chamber-fellows, and constant bed-fellows; and there then grew so great a kindness between us, that she soon had a great and ruling power with me; and by her having brought me to be very vain and foolish, enticing me to spend (as she did) her time in seeing and reading plays and romances, and in exquisite and curious dressing.
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