any woman but the Duchesse of Monmouth and Mrs. Cornwallis did any thing
but like fools and stocks, but that these two did do most extraordinary
well: that not any man did any thing well but Captain O'Bryan, who spoke
and did well, but, above all things, did dance most incomparably. That she
did sit near the players of the Duke's house; among the rest, Mis Davis,
who is the most impertinent slut, she says, in the world; and the more,
now the King do show her countenance; and is reckoned his mistress, even
to the scorne of the whole world; the King gazing on her, and my Lady
Castlemayne being melancholy and out of humour, all the play, not smiling
once. The King, it seems, hath given her a ring of L700, which she shews
to every body, and owns that the King did give it her; and he hath
furnished a house for her in Suffolke Street most richly, which is a most
infinite shame. It seems she is a bastard of Colonell Howard, my Lord
Berkshire, and that he do pimp to her for the King, and hath got her for
him; but Pierce says that she is a most homely jade as ever she saw,
though she dances beyond any thing in the world. She tells me that the
Duchesse of Richmond do not yet come to the Court, nor hath seen the King,
nor will not, nor do he own his desire of seeing her; but hath used means
to get her to Court, but they do not take. Thence home, and there I to my
chamber, having a great many books brought me home from my bookbinder's,
and so I to the new setting of my books against the next year, which costs
me more trouble than I expected, and at it till two o'clock in the
morning, and then to bed, the business not being yet done to my mind.
This evening come Mr. Mills and his wife to see and sit and talk with us,
which they did till 9 o'clock at night, and then parted, and I to my
books.

15th. Up, and to the Office, where all the morning. At noon home to
dinner, and then to the Office again, where we met about some business of
D. Gawden's till candle-light; and then, as late as it was, I down to