having seen my Lady Jemimah so long, and my wife not
at all yet since she come, but she shall soon do it. I thence to Sir
Philip Warwicke, by appointment, to meet Lord Bellasses, and up to his
chamber, but find him unwilling to discourse of business on Sundays; so
did not enlarge, but took leave, and went down and sat in a low room,
reading Erasmus "de scribendis epistolis," a very good book, especially
one letter of advice to a courtier most true and good, which made me
once resolve to tear out the two leaves that it was writ in, but I
forebore it. By and by comes Lord Bellasses, and then he and I up again
to Sir P. Warwicke and had much discourse of our Tangier business, but
no hopes of getting any money. Thence I through the garden into the
Park, and there met with Roger Pepys, and he and I to walk in the Pell
Mell. I find by him that the House of Parliament continues full of ill
humours, and he seems to dislike those that are troublesome more than
needs, and do say how, in their late Poll Bill, which cost so much time,
the yeomanry, and indeed two-thirds of the nation, are left out to be
taxed, that there is not effectual provision enough made for collecting
of the money; and then, that after a man his goods are distrained
and sold, and the overplus returned, I am to have ten days to make my
complaints of being over-rated if there be cause, when my goods are
sold, and that is too late. These things they are resolved to look into
again, and mend them before they rise, which they expect at furthest
on Thursday next. Here we met with Mr. May, and he and we to talk of
several things, of building, and such like matters; and so walked to
White Hall, and there I skewed my cozen Roger the Duchesse of York
sitting in state, while her own mother stands by her; he had a desire,
and I shewed him my Lady Castlemayne, whom he approves to be very
handsome, and wonders that she cannot be as good within as she is fair
without. Her little black boy came by him; and, a dog being in his way,
the little boy called to the dog: "Pox of this dog!"--"Now," says he,
blessing himself, "would I whip this child till the blood come, if it
were my child!" and I believe he would. But he do by no means like the
liberty of the Court, and did come with expectation of finding them
playing at cards to-night, though Sunday; for such stories he is told,
but how true I know not.

[There is little reason to doubt that it was such as Evelyn
descr