for this day. Our
Mohocks are all vanished; however, I shall take care of my person. Nite
my own two deelest nuntyes MD.

23. I was this morning, before church, with the Secretary, about Lord
Abercorn's business, and some others. My soliciting season is come, and
will last as long as the session. I went late to Court, and the company
was almost gone. The Court serves me for a coffee-house; once a week I
meet acquaintance there, that I should not otherwise see in a quarter.
There is a flying report that the French have offered a cessation of
arms, and to give us Dunkirk, and the Dutch Namur, for security,
till the peace is made. The Duke of Ormond, they say, goes in a week.
Abundance of his equipage is already gone. His(2) friends are afraid
the expense of this employment will ruin him, since he must lose the
government of Ireland. I dined privately with a friend, and refused all
dinners offered me at Court; which, however, were but two, and I did not
like either. Did I tell you of a scoundrel about the Court that sells
employments to ignorant people, and cheats them of their money? He
lately made a bargain for the Vice-Chamberlain's place, for seven
thousand pounds, and had received some guineas earnest; but the whole
thing was discovered t'other day, and examination taken of it by Lord
Dartmouth, and I hope he will be swinged. The Vice-Chamberlain told me
several particulars of it last night at Lord Masham's. Can DD play at
ombre yet, enough to hold the cards while Ppt steps into the next room?
Nite deelest sollahs.(3)

24. This morning I recommended Newcomb again to the Duke of Ormond, and
left Dick Stewart(4) to do it further. Then I went to visit the Duchess
of Hamilton, who was not awake. So I went to the Duchess of Shrewsbury,
and sat an hour at her toilet. I talked to her about the Duke's being
Lord Lieutenant. She said she knew nothing of it; but I rallied her
out of that, and she resolves not to stay behind the Duke. I intend to
recommend the Bishop of Clogher to her for an acquaintance. He will
like her very well: she is, indeed, a most agreeable woman, and a great
favourite of mine. I know not whether the ladies in Ireland will like
her. I was at the Court of Requests, to get some lords to be at a
committee to-morrow, about a friend's Bill: and then the Duke of
Beaufort gave me a poem, finely bound in folio, printed at Stamford, and
writ by a country squire. Lord Exeter(5) desired the Duke to give it the
Qu