The inspiration for Bartholomew Rakehell was reading the lyrics to a song written by Thomas      D'Urfey (1653 - 1723) called "My Thing Is My Own". Below are some of the highlights:

I, a tender young maid, have been courted by many
Of all sorts and trades as ever was any.
A spruce haberdasher first spake to me fair
But I would have nothing to do with small ware.

A Master of Musick came with an intent,
To give me a lesson on my instrument,
I thank'd him for nohing, but bid him be gone,
For my little fiddle should not be play'd on.

A fine dapper tailor, with a yard in his hand,
Did proffer his service to be at command.
He talked of a slit I had above knee:
But I'll have no tailors to stitch it for me!

A blunt Lieutenant surpriz'd my placket,
And fiercely began to rifle and sack it,
I mustered my spirits up and became bold,
And forc'd my Lieutenant to quit his stronghold.

It struck me as being part of the great British tradition of lewd innuendo as typified by the "Carry On" films or Radio 4's "I'm Sorry, I Haven't A Clue" so I thought I'd have a go at writing a version of my own:

Miss Come-Quickly  is a Cheapside whore
Of men she’s had fair many
To see her diddeys ( oft’n more)
Doth only cost a penny.

A Gamester skill’d in many ways
Did roll her on her back
He lay’d his hand upon the baize
And play’d his one-eyed Jack.

A Captain in the Army found
His cannon needed rodding
But when ’twas roll’d upon the mound
It fir’d only wadding.

An aged Quack she next did meet
Who ‘pon himself plac’d leeches
And a-sniffing of her stocking’d feet
Was physick for his breeches.

Then two Sedan-men, lusty souls
She stopp’d whilst homeward bound
They slid their poles into the holes
And carry’d her around.

A jolly Jack Tar she had last
And gladly gave him sport
She rais’d the sails, climb’d on the mast
And led him into port.

Crude in both senses of the word, but not without some merit, I was told. Then, after researching the life of Richard Barrymore, 7th Earl of Barrymore (1769 - 1793) a notorious rake, gambler and sportsman, I was inspired to write a few verses based on his character. Initially, Bartholomew Rakehell was to be the hero of a poem called "Virtue in Danger", but he quicky transformed into a villain when, for comic purposes, I changed Jenny Go-Sprightly - an intended victim of his lustful advances into someone who fights back. This incidental character then became the heroine of a second poem originally called The Rank Rider. But Rakehell was never heard of again.

Or was he?...

Over the next few years those initial few verses became 10,000 words and a book.