following account: "Last week, there being a faire
neare Audley-end, the queen, the Dutchess of Richmond, and the
Dutchess of Buckingham, had a frolick to disguise themselves like
country lasses, to red petticoats, wastcotes, &c., and so goe see
the faire. Sir Barnard Gascoign, on a cart jade, rode before the
queen; another stranger before the Dutchess of Buckingham; and Mr.
Roper before Richmond. They had all so overdone it in their
disguise, and looked so much more like antiques than country volk,
that, as soon as they came to the faire, the people began to goe
after them; but the queen going to a booth, to buy a pair of yellow
stockings for her sweet hart, and Sir Bernard asking for a pair of
gloves sticht with blew, for his sweet hart, they were soon, by
their gebrish, found to be strangers, which drew a bigger flock
about them. One amongst them had seen the queen at dinner, knew
her, and was proud of her knowledge. This soon brought all the
faire into a crowd to stare at the queen. Being thus discovered,
they, as soon as they could, got to their horses; but as many of the
faire as had horses got up, with their wives, children, sweet harts,
or neighbours, behind them, to get as much gape as they could, till
they brought them to the court gate. Thus, by ill conduct, was a
merry frolick turned into a penance."--I've's Select Papers, p. 39.

Bishop Burnet says, "at this time, (1668) the court fell into much
extravagance in masquerading: both the king and queen, all the
court, went about masked, and came into houses unknown, and danced
there, with a great deal of wild frolic. In all this people were so
disguised, that, without being in the secret, none could distinguish
them. They were carried about in hackney chairs. Once the queen's
chairmen, not knowing who she was, went from her. So she was alone,
and was much disturbed, and came to Whitehall in a hackney coach;
some say in a cart."--Burnet's History, vol. i., p. 368.]

This was no sooner resolved upon, but it was put in execution they
attired themselves alike, and, taking each a basket of oranges under
their arms, they embarked in a hackney coach, and committed themselves to
fortune, without any other escort than their own caprice and
indiscretion.

The duchess was gone to the play with her sister: Miss Jennings had
excused herself under pretence of indisposition she was overjo