public and private in the garden, but most of all of the unhappy state of
this nation at this time by the negligence of the King and his Council.
The Duke of Buckingham is, it seems, set at liberty, without any further
charge against him or other clearing of him, but let to go out; which is
one of the strangest instances of the fool's play with which all publick
things are done in this age, that is to be apprehended. And it is said
that when he was charged with making himself popular--as indeed he is, for
many of the discontented Parliament, Sir Robert Howard and Sir Thomas
Meres, and others, did attend at the Council-chamber when he was
examined--he should answer, that whoever was committed to prison by my
Lord Chancellor or my Lord Arlington, could not want being popular. But it
is worth considering the ill state a Minister of State is in, under such a
Prince as ours is; for, undoubtedly, neither of those two great men would
have been so fierce against the Duke of Buckingham at the Council-table
the other day, had they [not] been assured of the King's good liking, and
supporting them therein: whereas, perhaps at the desire of my Lady
Castlemayne, who, I suppose, hath at last overcome the King, the Duke of
Buckingham is well received again, and now these men delivered up to the
interest he can make for his revenge. He told me over the story of Mrs.
Stewart, much after the manner which I was told it long since, and have
entered it in this book, told me by Mr. Evelyn; only he says it is verily
believed that the King did never intend to marry her to any but himself,
and that the Duke of York and Lord Chancellor were jealous of it; and that
Mrs. Stewart might be got with child by the King, or somebody else, and
the King own a marriage before his contract, for it is but a contract, as
he tells me, to this day, with the Queene, and so wipe their noses of the
Crown; and that, therefore, the Duke of York and Chancellor did do all
they could to forward the match with my Lord Duke of Richmond, that she
might be married out of the way; but, above all, it is a worthy part that
this good lady hath acted. Thus we talked till night and then parted, and