[Footnote 50: 'Mulgrave:' Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham. It was for this satire, the joint composition of Dryden and Sheffield, that Rochester hired bravoes to cudgel Dryden.]
[Footnote 51: 'Armstrong:' Sir Thomas Armstrong, a notorious character of the time—hanged at Tyburn.]
[Footnote 52: 'Carr:' Sir Carr Scrope, a wit of the time.]
[Footnote 53: 'Beastly brace:' Duchess of Portsmouth and Nell Gwynn.]
[Footnote 54: 'Earnely:' Sir John Earnely, one of the lords of the treasury.]
[Footnote 55: 'Aylesbury:' Robert, the first Earl of Aylesbury.]
[Footnote 56: 'Danby:' Thomas, Earl of Danby, lord high-treasurer of
England.]
[Footnote 57: 'Merriest man alive:' Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of
Shaftesbury.]
[Footnote 58: 'Nokes and Lee:' two celebrated comedians in Charles II.'s reign.]
[Footnote 59: 'New earl:' Earl of Essex.]