https://open.spotify.com/track/3s9itRgJYcKhem01P17865?si=JfeYKVgeQvquufjHh7e_5w
[ Aaron Burr ] There’s nothing like summer in the city Someone under stress meets someone looking pretty There’s trouble in the air, you can smell it And Alexander’s by himself. I’ll let him tell it
[ Alexander Hamilton ] I hadn’t slept in a week I was weak, I was awake You never seen a bastard orphan More in need of a break Longing for Angelica Missing my wife That’s when Miss Maria Reynolds walked into my life, she said:
[ Maria Reynolds ] I know you are a man of honor I’m so sorry to bother you at home But I don’t know where to go, and I came here all alone…
[ Alexander Hamilton ] She said:
[ Maria Reynolds ] My husband’s doin’ me wrong Beatin’ me, cheatin’ me, mistreatin’ me... Suddenly he’s up and gone I don’t have the means to go on [HAMILTON] So I offered her a loan, I offered to walk her home, she said
[ Maria Reynolds ] You’re too kind, sir
[ Alexander Hamilton ] I gave her thirty bucks that I had socked away She lived a block away, she said:
[ Maria Reynolds ] This one’s mine, sir
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Then I said, “well, I should head back home,” She turned red, she led me to her bed Let her legs spread and said:
[ Maria Reynolds ] Stay?
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Hey…
[ Maria Reynolds ] Hey…
[ Alexander Hamilton ] That’s when I began to pray: Lord, show me how to Say no to this I don’t know how to Say no to this
But my God, she looks so helpless And her body’s saying, “hell, yes”
[ Maria Reynolds ] Whoa...
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Nooo, show me how to
[ Alexander Hamilton / ENSEMBLE] Say no to this
[ Alexander Hamilton ] I don’t know how to
[ Alexander Hamilton / ENSEMBLE] Say no to this
[ Alexander Hamilton ] In my mind, I’m tryin’ to go
[ENSEMBLE] Go! Go! Go!
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Then her mouth is on mine, and I don’t say…
[ENSEMBLE] No! No! Say no to this! No! No! Say no to this! No! No! Say no to this! No! No! Say no to this!
[ Alexander Hamilton ] I wish I could say that was the last time I said that last time. It became a pastime A month into this endeavor I received a letter From a Mr. James Reynolds, even better, it said:
[ James Reynolds ] Dear Sir, I hope this letter finds you in good health And in a prosperous enough position to put wealth In the pockets of people like me: down on their luck You see, that was my wife who you decided to
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Fuuuu—
[ James Reynolds ] Uh-oh! You made the wrong sucker a cuckold So time to pay the piper for the pants you unbuckled And hey, you can keep seein’ my whore wife If the price is right: if not I’m telling your wife
[ Alexander Hamilton ] I hid the letter and I raced to her place Screamed “How could you?!” in her face She said:
[ Maria Reynolds ] No, sir!
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Half dressed, apologetic. A mess, she looked Pathetic, she cried:
[ Maria Reynolds ] Please don’t go, sir!
[ Alexander Hamilton ] So was your whole story a setup?
[ Maria Reynolds ] I don’t know about any letter!
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Stop crying Goddamnit, get up!
[ Maria Reynolds ] I didn’t know any better
[ Alexander Hamilton ] I am ruined...
[ Maria Reynolds & Alexander Hamilton ] Please don’t leave me with him helpless (I am helpless—how could I do this?) Just give him what he wants and you can have me I don’t want you Whatever you want (I don’t want you)
[ Maria Reynolds, Alexander Hamilton, & ENSEMBLE] If you pay (I don’t…) You can stay Lord, show me how to Say no to this (Say no to this!) Tonight (I don’t know how to) (Say no to this!) Say no to this 'Cause the situation’s helpless (Helpless) And her body’s screaming, “Hell, yes” (Whoa!) How can you (No, show me how to) (Say no to this!) Say no to this? (Say no to this) (Say no to this!) How can I say no to this? There is nowhere I can go (Go! Go! Go!) When her body’s on mine I do not say… (No!)
[ Alexander Hamilton, Maria Reynolds, & ENSEMBLE] Yes (Yes!) Say no to this! No! Yes (Yes!) Say no to this! No! Yes (Yes!) Say no to this! No! Yes (Yes!) Say no to this! Say no to this… I don’t say no to this (Don’t say no to this) There is nowhere I can go Go go go...
[ James Reynolds ] So?
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Nobody needs to know
While Eliza and Angelica are away at their father's home, Alexander Hamilton is paid a visit by Maria Reynolds, who claims she is being mistreated by her husband, James Reynolds. Alexander lends her money, and soon the two are caught in an affair.
Maria is in an abusive relationship, and was forced to seduce Hamilton by her husband, although she never wanted to have an affair. She later files for divorce.
The affair comes to knowledge of James Reynolds, who in turn, forces Hamilton to pay him a sum to keep the scandal a secret. Hamilton is distraught, but accepts the blackmail and continues the affair.
The affair is kept a secret, until Hamilton is accused of spending government funds, in We Know. He later writes about his affair, denying most of the allegations, but admitting to his affair in The Reynolds Pamphlet.
The affair led to a downfall of Hamilton's political career. In "The Reynolds Pamphlet," his rivals say he's "Never gon' be president now."
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