Diary, Nov/Dec 1662 | Page 5

J. Minnes in his coach to White Hall, to the Duke's;
but found him gone out a-hunting. Thence to my Lord Sandwich, from
whom I receive every day more and more signs of his confidence and
esteem of me. Here I met with Pierce the chyrurgeon, who tells me that
my Lady Castlemaine is with child; but though it be the King's, yet her
Lord being still in town, and sometimes seeing of her, though never to
eat or lie together, it will be laid to him. He tells me also how the Duke
of York is smitten in love with my Lady Chesterfield

[Lady Elizabeth Butler, daughter of James Butler, first Duke of
Ormond, second wife of Philip Stanhope, second Earl of Chesterfield.
She died July, 1665 (see "Memoires de Grammont," chap. viii.). Peter
Cunningham thinks that this banishment was only temporary, for,
according to the Grammont Memoirs, she was in town when the
Russian ambassador was in London, December, 1662, and January,
1662- 63. "It appears from the books of the Lord Steward's office . . . .
that Lord Chesterfield set out for the country on the 12th May, 1663,
and, from his 'Short Notes' referred to in the Memoirs before his
Correspondence, that he remained at Bretby, in Derbyshire, with his
wife, throughout the summer of that year" ("Story of Nell Gwyn," 1852,
p. 189).]
(a virtuous lady, daughter to my Lord of Ormond); and so much, that
the duchess of York hath complained to the King and her father about it,
and my Lady Chesterfield is gone into the country for it. At all which I
am sorry; but it is the effect of idleness, and having nothing else to
employ their great spirits upon. Thence with Mr. Creede and Mr.
Moore (who is got upon his legs and come to see my Lord) to
Wilkinson's, and there I did give them and Mr. Howe their dinner of
roast beef, cost me 5s., and after dinner carried Mr. Moore as far as
Paul's in a coach, giving him direction about my law business, and
there set him down, and I home and among my workmen, who
happened of all sorts to meet to their making an end of a great many
jobbs, so that after to-morrow I shall have but a little plastering and all
the painting almost to do, which was good content to me. At night to
my office, and did business; and there came to me Mr. Wade and Evett,
who have been again with their prime intelligencer, a woman, I
perceive: and though we have missed twice, yet they bring such an
account of the probability of the truth of the thing, though we are not
certain of the place, that we shall set upon it once more; and I am
willing and hopefull in it. So we resolved to set upon it again on
Wednesday morning; and the woman herself will be there in a disguise,
and confirm us in the place. So they took leave for the night, and I to
my business, and then home to my wife and to supper and bed, my pain
being going away. So by God's great blessing my mind is in good
condition of quiet.

4th. Lay long talking pleasantly with my wife in bed, it having rained,
and do still, very much all night long. Up and to the office, where we
sat till noon. This morning we had news by letters that Sir Richard
Stayner is dead at sea in the Mary, which is now come into Portsmouth
from Lisbon; which we are sorry for, he being a very stout seaman. But
there will be no great miss of him for all that. Dined at home with my
wife, and all the afternoon among my workmen, and at night to my
office to do business there, and then to see Sir W. Pen, who is still sick,
but his pain less than it was. He took occasion to talk with me about Sir
J. Minnes's intention to divide the entry and the yard, and so to keep
him out of the yard, and forcing him to go through the garden to his
house. Which he is vexed at, and I am glad to see that Sir J. Minnes do
use him just as he do me, and so I perceive it is not anything
extraordinary his carriage to me in the matter of our houses, for this is
worse than anything he has done to me, that he should give order for
the stopping up of his way to his house without so much as advising
with him or letting of him know it, and I confess that it is very highly
and basely done of him. So to my office again,