little proud of, if I may believe him. Here I do hear, as a great secret,
that the King, and Duke of York and Duchesse, and my Lady Castlemayne, are
now all agreed in a strict league, and all things like to go very current,
and that it is not impossible to have my Lord Clarendon, in time, here
again. But I do hear that my Lady Castlemayne is horribly vexed at the
late libell,

["The Poor Whores' Petition to the most splendid, illustrious,
serene and eminent Lady of Pleasure the Countess of Castlemayne,
&c., signed by us, Madam Cresswell and Damaris Page, this present
25th day of March, 1668." This sham petition occasioned a pretended
answer, entitled, "The Gracious Answer of the Most Illustrious Lady
of Pleasure, the Countess of Castlem . . . . to the Poor Whores'
Petition." It is signed, "Given at our Closset, in King Street,
Westminster, die Veneris, April 24, 1668. Castlem . . . ."
Compare Evelyn, April 2nd, 1668.]

the petition of the poor whores about the town, whose houses were pulled
down the other day. I have got one of them, but it is not very witty, but
devilish severe against her and the King and I wonder how it durst be
printed and spread abroad, which shews that the times are loose, and come
to a great disregard of the King, or Court, or Government. Thence I to
White Hall to attend the Council, and when the Council rose we find my
order mightily enlarged by the Sollicitor Generall, who was called
thither, making it more safe for him and the Council, but their order is
the same in the command of it that I drew, and will I think defend us
well. So thence, meeting Creed, he and I to the new Cocke-pitt by the
King's gate, and there saw the manner of it, and the mixed rabble of
people that come thither; and saw two battles of cocks, wherein is no
great sport, but only to consider how these creatures, without any