Tan cloth binding with gilt title on the spine.

Very rare first edition
Empathy: INTERESTING: A great what – ‘IF’
Please view the photographs / No dust cover

Lucy Walter: Wife or Mistress (1947) is a biographical work by Lord George Scott, a descendant of the Walter family, arguing that Lucy Walter (c. 1630–1658), the first mistress of King Charles II, was actually his lawfully wedded wife. Scott contends that evidence of a marriage contract existed, though he fails to definitively prove this widely debated historical claim.
Arguments for Marriage: Scott argues that Lucy was not merely a “fallen woman” but came from a respectable family, citing letters from Charles’s sister (the Princess of Orange) that refer to Lucy as his wife. He also claims that evidence of a secret marriage, specifically documents kept in a “black box,” was entrusted to Bishop John Cosin.
Historical Context: Lucy Walter was a Welsh woman who met Charles II during his exile in The Hague. She bore him a son, James Scott (later Duke of Monmouth), who was a central figure in the Exclusion Crisis as Protestants sought to prove he was the legitimate heir.
Conclusion of the Book: While presenting interesting family history and genealogical information, Scott’s arguments are generally considered unconvincing by historians.
Alternative View: It is widely accepted that while Charles II doted on their son, he never acknowledged marrying Lucy and maintained that Catherine of Braganza was his only wife.
The book serves as an attempt to clear the reputation of Lucy Walter and elevate the legitimacy of her son’s claim to the throne.