ediest to send
these very ships that are now come home, five sail of good ships, back
again after cleaning, victualling, and paying them. But it is a pleasant
thing to think how their Basha, Shavan Aga, did tear his hair to see the
soldiers order things thus; for (just like his late predecessor) when
they see the evil of war with England, then for certain they complain to
the Grand Seignor of him, and cut his head off: this he is sure of,
and knows as certain. Thence to Westminster Hall, where I met with Mr.
Pierce, chyrurgeon; and among other things he asked me seriously whether
I knew anything of my Lord's being out of favour with the King; and told
me, that for certain the King do take mighty notice of my Lord's living
obscurely in a corner not like himself, and becoming the honour that
he is come to. I was sorry to hear, and the truth is, from my Lord's
discourse among his people (which I am told) of the uncertainty of
princes' favours, and his melancholy keeping from Court, I am doubtful
of some such thing; but I seemed wholly strange to him in it, but
will make my use of it. He told me also how loose the Court is, nobody
looking after business, but every man his lust and gain; and how
the King is now become besotted upon Mrs. Stewart, that he gets into
corners, and will be with her half an houre together kissing her to the
observation of all the world; and she now stays by herself and expects
it, as my Lady Castlemaine did use to do; to whom the King, he says,
is still kind, so as now and then he goes to have a chat with her as
he believes; but with no such fondness as he used to do. But yet it is
thought that this new wench is so subtle, that she lets him not do any
thing than is safe to her, but yet his doting is so great that, Pierce
tells me, it is verily thought if the Queene had died, he would have
married her. The Duke of Monmouth is to have part of the Cockpitt new
built for lodgings for him, and they say to be made Captain of the
Guards in the room of my Lord Gerard. Having thus talked with him, there
comes into the Hall Creed and Ned Pickering, and after a turne or two
with them, it being noon, I walked with them two to the King's Head
ordinary, and there we dined; little discourse but what was common, only
that the Duke of Yorke is a very, desperate huntsman, but I was ashamed
of Pickering, who could not forbear having up my Lord Sandwich now and
then in the most paltry matters abominable. Thence I took l