n the Duke of York, but did little
business, and he, I perceive, his head full of other business, and of late
hath not been very ready to be troubled with any of our business. Having
done with him, Sir J. Minnes, [Sir] W. Batten and I to White Hall, and
there hear how it is like to go well enough with my Lord Chancellor; that
he is like to keep his Seal, desiring that he may stand his trial in
Parliament, if they will accuse him of any thing. Here Sir J. Minnes and
I looking upon the pictures; and Mr. Chevins, being by, did take us, of
his own accord, into the King's closet, to shew us some pictures, which,
indeed, is a very noble place, and exceeding great variety of brave
pictures, and the best hands. I could have spent three or four hours
there well, and we had great liberty to look and Chevins seemed to take
pleasure to shew us, and commend the pictures. Having done here, I to the
Exchange, and there find my wife gone with Sir W. Pen. So I to visit
Colonel Fitzgerald, who hath been long sick at Woolwich, where most of the
officers and soldiers quartered there, since the Dutch being in the river,
have died or been sick, and he among the rest; and, by the growth of his
beard and gray [hairs], I did not know him. His desire to speak with me
was about the late command for my paying no more pensions for Tangier.
Thence home, and there did business, and so in the evening home to supper
and to bed. This day Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, was with me; and tells me
how this business of my Lord Chancellor's was certainly designed in my
Lady Castlemayne's chamber; and that, when he went from the King on Monday
morning, she was in bed, though about twelve o'clock, and ran out in her
smock into her aviary looking into White Hall garden; and thither her
woman brought her her nightgown; and stood joying herself at the old man's
going away: and several of the gallants of White Hall, of which there were
many staying to see the Chancellor return, did talk to her in her
birdcage; among others, Blancford, telling her she was the bird of
paradise.

[Clarendon refers to this scene in the continuation of his Life (ed.
1827, vol. iii., p. 291), and Lister writes: "Lady Castlemaine rose
hastily from her noontide bed, and came out into her aviary, anxious
to read in the saddened air of her distinguished enemy some presage
of his fall" ("Life of Clarendon," vol. ii., p. 412).]

28th. Up; and staid undressed till my t