THE SCENE: Those with delicate sensibilities should not proceed forward with reading the following passage, which is both libelous and scandalous.
THE TEXT: [Mary Herbert, Countess of Pembroke] was very salacious, and she had a contrivance that in the spring of the year, when the stallions were to leap the mares, they were to be brought before such a part of the house, where she had a vidette (a hole to peep out at) to look on them and please herself with their sport; and then she would act the like sport herself with her stallions.
– Brief Lives, John Aubrey, 17th Century AD
