The Duke of Queensberry supported his wife, and although the King pressed him to remain, resigned his office of Admiral of Scotland--though Gay wrote to Swift,[9] "this he would have done, if the Duchess had not met with this treatment, upon account of ill-usage from the Ministers," and that this incident "hastened him in what he had determined." The affair created an immense sensation in Court circles.

"The Duchess of Queensberry is still the talk of the town.

She is going to Scotland," Mrs.Pendarves wrote to Mrs.Anne Granville, March 14th, 1729....

"My Lady Hervey told her the other day that 'now she was banished, the Court had lost its chief ornament,' the Duchess replied, 'I am entirely of your mind.' It is thought my Lady Hervey spoke to her with a sneer, if so, her Grace's answer was a very good one."[10] One of the immediate results of the campaign was that the apartments that had been granted to Gay in Whitehall, which belonged to the Crown, had, by order, to be surrendered.

On the other hand, two large editions, amounting to 10,500 copies, of "Polly, An Opera: being the Second Part of 'The Beggar's Opera.' Written by Mr.Gay.With the Songs and Basses engraved on Copper-plates," were printed in 1729, and from the sale Gay derived between L1,100 and L1,200.[11] In 1777 Colman produced "Polly" in a revised version, but it failed to attract.
There was an end of Gay's hopes of Court preferment, that was clear to every one.