18th. Up and after taking leave of Sir W. Batten, who is gone this day
towards Portsmouth (to little purpose, God knows) upon his survey, I home
and spent the morning at dancing; at noon Creed dined with us and Mr.
Deane Woolwich, and so after dinner came Mr. Howe, who however had enough
for his dinner, and so, having done, by coach to Westminster, she to Mrs.
Clerke and I to St. James's, where the Duke being gone down by water
to-day with the King I went thence to my Lord Sandwich's lodgings, where
Mr. Howe and I walked a while, and going towards Whitehall through the
garden Dr. Clerk and Creed called me across the bowling green, and so I
went thither and after a stay went up to Mrs. Clerke who was dressing
herself to go abroad with my wife. But, Lord! in what a poor condition
her best chamber is, and things about her, for all the outside and show
that she makes, but I found her just such a one as Mrs. Pierce, contrary
to my expectation, so much that I am sick and sorry to see it. Thence for
an hour Creed and I walked to White Hall, and into the Park, seeing the
Queen and Maids of Honour passing through the house going to the Park.
But above all, Mrs. Stuart is a fine woman, and they say now a common
mistress to the King,

[The king said to 'la belle' Stuart, who resisted all his
importunities, that he hoped he should live to see her "ugly and
willing" (Lord Dartmouth's note to Burnet's "Own Time," vol. i.,
p. 436, ed. 1823).]

as my Lady Castlemaine is; which is a great pity. Thence taking a coach
to Mrs. Clerke's, took her, and my wife, and Ashwell, and a Frenchman, a
kinsman of hers, to the Park, where we saw many fine faces, and one
exceeding handsome, in a white dress over her head, with many others very
beautiful. Staying there till past eight at night, I carried Mrs. Clerke
and her Frenchman, who sings well, home, and thence home ourselves,