betimes and round about by the streets to my
office, and walked in the garden and in my office till my man Will
rose, and then sent to tell Sir J. Minnes that I would go with him to
Whitehall, which anon we did, in his coach, and to the Chapell, where
I heard a good sermon of the Dean of Ely's, upon returning to the old
ways, and a most excellent anthem, with symphonys between, sung by
Captain Cooke. Then home with Mr. Fox and his lady; and there dined with
them, where much company come to them. Most of our discourse was what
ministers are flung out that will not conform: and the care of the
Bishop of London that we are here supplied with very good men. Thence
to my Lord's, where nobody at home but a woman that let me in, and Sarah
above, whither I went up to her and played and talked with her... After
I had talked an hour or two with her I went and gave Mr. Hunt a short
visit, he being at home alone, and thence walked homewards, and meeting
Mr. Pierce, the chyrurgeon, he took me into Somersett House; and there
carried me into the Queen-Mother's presence-chamber, where she was with
our own Queen sitting on her left hand (whom I did never see before);
and though she be not very charming, yet she hath a good, modest, and
innocent look, which is pleasing. Here I also saw Madam Castlemaine,
and, which pleased me most, Mr. Crofts, the King's bastard, a most
pretty spark of about 15 years old, who, I perceive, do hang much upon
my Lady Castlemaine, and is always with her; and, I hear, the Queens
both of them are mighty kind to him.

[James, the son of Charles II. by Lucy Walter, daughter of William
Walter, of Roch Castle, co. Pembroke. He was born April 9th, 1649,
and landed in England with the Queen-Mother, July 28th, 1662, when
he bore the name of Crofts, after Lord Crofts, his governor. He was
created Duke of Monmouth, February 14th, 1663, and married Lady Anne
Scott, daughter and heiress of Francis, second Earl of Buccleuch, on
April 20th following. In 1673 he took the name of Scott, and was
created Duke of Buccleuch.]

By and by in comes the King, and anon the Duke and his Duchess; so that,
they being all together, was such a sight as I never could almost have
happened to see with so much ease and leisure. They staid till it
was dark, and then went away; the King and his Queen, and my Lady
Castlemaine and young Crofts, in one coach and the rest in other,
coaches. Here were gr