said was not well taken, and did carry the business with what was urged
and answered by Creed and Mr. Coventry, till the Duke himself did declare
that he was satisfied, and my Lord Barkely offered to lay L100 that the
King would receive no wrong in the account, and the two last knights held
their tongues, or at least by not understanding it did say what made for
Mr. Creed, and so Sir G. Carteret was left alone, but yet persisted to say
that the account was not good, but full of corruption and foul dealing.
And so we broke up to his shame, but I do fear to the loss of his
friendship to me a good while, which I am heartily troubled for. Thence
with Creed to the King's Head ordinary; but, coming late, dined at the
second table very well for 12d.; and a pretty gentleman in our company,
who confirms my Lady Castlemaine's being gone from Court, but knows not
the reason; he told us of one wipe the Queen a little while ago did give
her, when she came in and found the Queen under the dresser's hands, and
had been so long:

"I wonder your Majesty," says she, "can have the patience to sit so long
a-dressing?"--"I have so much reason to use patience," says the Queen,
"that I can very well bear with it." He thinks that it may be the Queen
hath commanded her to retire, though that is not likely. Thence with
Creed to hire a coach to carry us to Hide Park, to-day there being a
general muster of the King's Guards, horse and foot: but they demand so
high, that I, spying Mr. Cutler the merchant, did take notice of him, and
he going into his coach, and telling me that he was going to shew a couple
of Swedish strangers the muster, I asked and went along with him; where a
goodly sight to see so many fine horses and officers, and the King, Duke,
and others come by a-horseback, and the two Queens in the Queen-Mother's
coach, my Lady Castlemaine not being there. And after long being there, I
'light, and walked to the place where the King, Duke, &c., did stand to
see the horse and foot march by and discharge their guns, to show a French