Two Lovers

Inscribed by the artist in a banderole at upper right in pen and black ink, "Er tut Doch hupschlich [?]" Inscribed on the verso of the old mount by Jonathan Richardson, Jr., in pen and brown ink, "Sy tue doch Scripsthuch. / Be thou then a Lamb:piece. i.e. Behave Moderstly. / The Severity of which Rebuke her Eyes correct. / For, as Old Morley said (when He Courted the Heiress of the / D. of Newcastle for my L. Oxford's Son & she told him, / on his proposing this Match to Her, that she would or: / :der him to be flung into the Well,) to himself, on his / observing her Eyes, Ah! Girl I have Thee; for as He / told my Father & me, at his House at Halstead, in / telling us the whole Progress of this most Important / Business (for it occasioned the Breach between Oxford / & Bolingbroke, & of consequence probably defeated the bring: / :ing in of the Pretender, as Oxford was, now, too well pro / :vided for, to risk a Civil War) The Tongue may Lye, / but Eyes will Tell Truth. A strikly True, & most Curious / Anecdote this!"; below this in pen and black ink, in J.C. Robinson's hand, "Ey tut doch suptlich" / "Eh touch softly", and "The above is in the handwriting of / Jonathan Richardson Junr. / Collections / J. Richardson / Rogers / Sir T. Lawrence / W Russell / JCRobinson apl 18.1885".