fy to a marriage. In consequence of this he
was removed from his office, and Lord Crofts took his place
(Steinman's "Althorp Memoirs"). Lucy Walter took the name of Barlow
during her wanderings.]
How true this is, God knows; but I believe the Duke of York will not be
fooled in this of three crowns. Thence to White Hall, and walked long in
the galleries till (as they are commanded to all strange persons), one
come to tell us, we not being known, and being observed to walk there
four or five hours (which was not true, unless they count my walking
there in the morning), he was commanded to ask who we were; which being
told, he excused his question, and was satisfied. These things speak
great fear and jealousys. Here we staid some time, thinking to stay out
the play before the King to-night, but it being "The Villaine," and my
wife not being there, I had no mind. So walk to the Exchange, and there
took many turns with him; among other things, observing one very pretty
Exchange lass, with her face full of black patches, which was a strange
sight. So bid him good-night and away by coach to Mr. Moore, with whom
I staid an hour, and found him pretty well and intends to go abroad
tomorrow, and so it raining hard by coach home, and having visited both
Sir Williams, who are both sick, but like to be well again, I to my
office, and there did some business, and so home and to bed. At Sir W.
Batten's I met with Mr. Mills, who tells me that he could get nothing
out of the maid hard by (that did poyson herself) before she died, but
that she did it because she did not like herself, nor had not
liked herself, nor anything she did a great while. It seems she was
well-favoured enough, but crooked, and this was all she could be got to
say, which is very strange.
28th. At the office sitting all the morning, and then home to dinner
with my wife, and after dinner she and I passing an hour or two in
ridiculous talk, and then to my office, doing business there till 9 at
night, and so home and to supper and to bed. My house is now in its last
dirt, I hope, the plasterer and painter now being upon winding up all
my trouble, which I expect will now in a fortnight's time, or a little
more, be quite over.
29th (Lord Mayor's day). Intended to have made me fine, and by
invitation to have dined with the Lord Mayor to-day, but going to see
Sir W. Batten this morning, I found Sir G. Carteret and Sir J. Minnes
going with Sir W. Batte
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