Diary, January 1668/69 | Page 8

engaging of great persons, and differences, and making the King cheap
and ridiculous. It is about my Lady Harvy's being offended at Doll
Common's acting of Sempronia, to imitate her; for which she got my
Lord Chamberlain, her kinsman, to imprison Doll: when my Lady
Castlemayne made the King to release her, and to order her to act it

again, worse than ever, the other day, where the King himself was: and
since it was acted again, and my Lady Harvy provided people to hiss
her and fling oranges at her: but, it seems the heat is come to a great
height, and real troubles at Court about it. Thence he and I out of doors,
but he to Sir J. Duncomb, and I to White Hall through the Park, where I
met the King and the Duke of York, and so walked with them, and so
to White Hall, where the Duke of York met the office and did a little
business; and I did give him thanks for his favour to me yesterday, at
the Committee of Tangier, in my absence, Mr. Povy having given me
advice of it, of the discourse there of doing something as to the putting
the payment of the garrison into some undertaker's hand, Alderman
Backewell, which the Duke of York would not suffer to go on, without
my presence at the debate. And he answered me just thus: that he ought
to have a care of him that do the King's business in the manner that I do,
and words of more force than that. Then down with Lord Brouncker to
Sir R. Murray, into the King's little elaboratory, under his closet, a
pretty place; and there saw a great many chymical glasses and things,
but understood none of them. So I home and to dinner, and then out
again and stop with my wife at my cozen Turner's where I staid and sat
a while, and carried The. and my wife to the Duke of York's house, to
"Macbeth," and myself to White Hall, to the Lords of the Treasury,
about Tangier business; and there was by at much merry discourse
between them and my Lord Anglesey, who made sport of our new
Treasurers, and called them his deputys, and much of that kind. And
having done my own business, I away back, and carried my cozen
Turner and sister Dyke to a friend's house, where they were to sup, in
Lincoln's Inn Fields; and I to the Duke of York's house and saw the last
two acts, and so carried The. thither, and so home with my wife, who
read to me late, and so to supper and to bed. This day The. Turner
shewed me at the play my Lady Portman, who has grown out of my
knowledge.

16th. Up, and to the office all the morning, dined at home with my
people, and so all the afternoon till night at the office busy, and so
home to supper and to bed. This morning Creed, and in the afternoon
comes Povy, to advise with me about my answer to the Lords
[Commissioners] of Tangier, about the propositions for the

Treasurership there, which I am not much concerned for. But the latter,
talking of publick things, told me, as Mr. Wren also did, that the
Parliament is likely to meets again, the King being frighted with what
the Speaker hath put him in mind of--his promise not to prorogue, but
only to adjourne them. They speak mighty freely of the folly of the
King in this foolish woman's business, of my Lady Harvy. Povy tells
me that Sir W. Coventry was with the King alone, an hour this day; and
that my Lady Castlemayne is now in a higher command over the King
than ever--not as a mistress, for she scorns him, but as a tyrant, to
command him: and says that the Duchess of York and the Duke of
York are mighty great with her, which is a great interest to my Lord
Chancellor's' family; and that they do agree to hinder all they can the
proceedings of the Duke of Buckingham and Arlington: and so we are
in the old mad condition, or rather worse than any; no man knowing
what the French intend to do the next summer.

17th (Lord's day). To church myself after seeing every thing fitted for
dinner, and so, after church, home, and thither comes Mrs. Batelier and
her two daughters to dinner to us; and W. Hewer and his mother, and
Mr. Spong. We were very civilly merry, and Mrs. Batelier a very
discreet woman, but mighty fond in the stories she tells of her son Will.
After dinner, Mr. Spong and I to my closet, there to try my instrument
Parallelogram,