astlemaine
plays at Court (which I took occasion to mention as that that the people
do take great notice of), all which he confessed. Afterwards he told me
of poor Mr. Spong, that being with other people examined before the King
and Council (they being laid up as suspected persons; and it seems Spong
is so far thought guilty as that they intend to pitch upon him to put
to the wracke or some other torture), he do take knowledge of my Lord
Sandwich, and said that he was well known to Mr. Pepys. But my Lord
knows, and I told him, that it was only in matter of musique and pipes,
but that I thought him to be a very innocent fellow; and indeed I am
very sorry for him. After my Lord and I had done in private, we went
out, and with Captain Cuttance and Bunn did look over their draught of a
bridge for Tangier, which will be brought by my desire to our office by
them to-morrow. Thence to Westminster Hall, and there walked long with
Mr. Creed, and then to the great half-a-crown ordinary, at the King's
Head, near Charing Cross, where we had a most excellent neat dinner and
very high company, and in a noble manner. After dinner he and I into
another room over a pot of ale and talked. He showed me our commission,
wherein the Duke of York, Prince Rupert, Duke of Albemarle, Lord
Peterborough, Lord Sandwich, Sir G. Carteret, Sir William Compton,
Mr. Coventry, Sir R. Ford, Sir William Rider, Mr. Cholmley, Mr. Povy,
myself, and Captain Cuttance, in this order are joyned for the carrying
on the service of Tangier, which I take for a great honour to me. He
told me what great faction there is at Court; and above all, what is
whispered, that young Crofts is lawful son to the King, the King being
married to his mother.

[There has been much confusion as to the name and parentage of
Charles's mistress. Lucy Walter was the daughter of William Walter
of Roch Castle, co. Pembroke, and Mr. S. Steinman, in his "Althorp
Memoirs" (privately printed, 1869), sets out her pedigree, which is
a good one. Roch Castle was taken and burnt by the Parliamentary
forces in 1644, and Lucy was in London in 1648, where she made the
acquaintance of Colonel Algernon Sidney. She then fell into the
possession of his brother, Colonel Robert Sidney. In September of
this same year she was taken up by Charles, Prince of Wales.
Charles terminated his connection with her on October 30th, 1651,
and she died in 1658, as