Book Review: ROCHESTER THE MAD EARL by Kathleen Kellow aka Jean Plaidy

This is the story of John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester-Restoration poet, wit and rake. As a boy he was eager to take his place among the immortals. Two passions prevented him; women and wine. He was the lover of many women, but there were two who had his life-long devotion.

He sought an heiress in marriage and, when she refused, abducted her under her grandfather's eyes. He realized the genius of a serving girl and made her a great actress.

He set up as a quack doctor, roamed London in disguise, and mocked the King to his face. Nothing was too daring or too fantastic for 'The Mad Earl '; and madly he squandered his life and his gifts, until, with life scarcely begun, he found that it was over.

This is the story of the most brilliant, the most gay, and the most tragic of men". 

Thank you to Arleigh from Historical Fiction.com and Jean Plaidy's Royal Intrigue for setting me on this search for the mythical unicorn of historical fiction. Since there is probably not a single HF lover out there that has not heard of Jean Plaidy, for those of you who do not know Kathleen Kellow is one of Jean Plaidy's earlier pen names. What is it that makes this book so special? Kathleen Kellow is one of Plaidy's more uncommon pen names. For more on this rare book that I was lucky to get from the library check out my other post on it.

"Rochester: The Mad Earl" was briefly mentioned in "The Loves of Charles II" which I read not to long ago. I noted the brief mentions that the Earl wrote funny, and outrageous notes to or about fellow nobility or to anyone he deemed fit. In "The Loves of Charles II" he seemed more "mad" for voicing his true opinion whether it was right or wrong. I bring up my prior read because Rochester is a wonderful companion to Charles. This is Rochester’s story, the good, the bad, and even the mad. He was one of the first original "ballers" and leader of Charles II band of merry men.

As a young child Rochester was not Rochester, his father was given the title of Earl of Rochester for his exemplary service to the exiled King Charles II. His father was the man who his with him in the great oak tree and who with his own hands cut the king beautiful curls off to be disguise him from Cromwell's pursuing men. While his father was in the king’s service his mother conformed easily to the Puritan England giving that she had previous ties to it, leaving her household unscathed. Rochester had an older half brother from his mother previous marriage but Rochester was the distinct opposite of him. He was a well-learned young child, wise beyond his years. His father snuck into home for a visit just so he could check in on the boy and tell his son of his escapades with the exiled king. When he left Rochester would dream for the day of his return but that day would never come. Someone else would return home in his stead and change the face of England forever.

On Charles II return to England Rochester had been still a young teen-age boy going to college at Oxford. The king’s men came to Oxford to bestow degrees and award merits the Chancellor also brought a very special message from Charles for Rochester. Good thing it came when it did because Rochester was so gifted he had already used up all Oxford had to offer educationally and socially. He was to go on a world tour courtesy of Charles. The funny part of is that the person who was put in charge of him was his cousin’s husband. His cousin was the notorious Barbara Palmer. That Charles was so sneaky sending his mistresses husband off to baby-sit her younger cousin so he could have a grand old time with her all to himself.

After his tour was completed he was invited to court and what better way to make a grand entrance then to hand deliver a letter from Charles sister Henrietta in France. In life Rochester lived by "his muses" who were really just plain old wine and women. He came across as a genius, he had the type of mind that was an egocentric genius verging on insanity. It is quite possible that he was extremely intelligent with a hint of manic behavior; it was like his mind never slept. He loved a good ruse. This is my favorite encounter with Barbra Palmer:

"He bowed mockingly. He could not resist mocking Barbra although he knew she disliked mockery, and that Barbara offend could be a formidable enemy".

"In the streets, at the play, in the park, there were always people to gape at Barbara; Rochester was extremely handsome, extremely elegant, and she would not be adverse, he knew, to entering into a love affair with him. But then Barbara was prepared to make love with anyone who could interest her for a brief hour or so".

"He took her hand as she alighted, and then some spirit of mischief prompted him. If Barbara wanted a display for the spectators, let her have one. He kissed her passionately on the lips".

"Up came Barbara's hand, and Barbara was a strong woman. Rochester felt a stinging slap on his right ear, and then Barbara's fist struck him such an unexpected blow on the chest that he fell sprawling on the grass".

"There was a roar of laughter from the crowd on seeing the elegant courtier sprawling there, his wide breeches, with their frills of lace and bunches of ribbons, stained by the wet grass, his plumed hat awry".

I laughed so hard at this brief excerpt that I had tears in the corners of my eyes. This was one of his earlier exploits at court. Rochester was a lovable man and I found his antics somewhat insane but this man had his logic and even to me it made logical sense. A true genius with melancholy whose quest it was in life was to experience what life has to offer, the pleasures of life especially. If you ask me he was too smart for his own good and that type of intelligence leads to bigger questions. He really struggled with faith in religion and the after life's existence. He wanted proof it was really there and when none was forth coming he chose to live under his own gods rules.

Rochester's crazy ways continued to lead to him to frequently being banished from court at the king’s pleasure. From abducting an heiress, openly mocking the king, wars with other poets, raising serving girls to actresses, stealing the kings purse, cross dressing, and posing as a quack doctor, nothing was ever too far fetched for Rochester.

5/5 In typical Plaidy fashion this book really is spectacular. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on this rare beauty do not let it pass you by, there is a reason it is the HF unicorn. I did notice in comparison to some of my other Plaidy reads that this one has a thicker dialect yet even with its sometimes thickness it was fabulous and down right hilarious. It is going to have to take every ounce of restraint I have not to keep it and tell the library I lost it. Historical fiction at its BEST even if it released in 1957. If anyone ever sees a copy of this for sale please email me.

Amazon: Rochester: The mad Earl