are
great disputes like to be at Court, between the factions of the two women,
my Lady Castlemayne and Mrs. Stewart, who is now well again, and the King
hath made several public visits to her, and like to come to Court: the
other is to go to Barkeshire-house, which is taken for her, and they say a
Privy-Seal is passed for L5000 for it. He believes all will come to ruin.
Thence I to White Hall, where the Duke of York gone to the Lords' House,
where there is to be a conference on the Lords' side to the Commons this
afternoon, giving in their Reasons, which I would have been at, but could
not; for, going by direction to the Prince's chamber, there Brouncker, W.
Pen, and Mr. Wren, and I, met, and did our business with the Duke of York.
But, Lord! to see how this play of Sir Positive At-all,--["The
Impertinents."]--in abuse of Sir Robert Howard, do take, all the Duke's
and every body's talk being of that, and telling more stories of him, of
the like nature, that it is now the town and country talk, and, they say,
is most exactly true. The Duke of York himself said that of his playing
at trap-ball is true, and told several other stories of him. This being
done, Brouncker, Pen, and I to Brouncker's house, and there sat and
talked, I asking many questions in mathematics to my Lord, which he do me
the pleasure to satisfy me in, and here we drank and so spent an hour, and
so W. Pen and I home, and after being with W. Pen at his house an hour, I
home and to bed.

9th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning we sat. Here I first
hear that the Queene hath miscarryed of a perfect child, being gone about
ten weeks, which do shew that she can conceive, though it be unfortunate
that she cannot bring forth. Here we are told also that last night the
Duchesse of Monmouth, dancing at her lodgings, hath sprained her thigh.
Here we are told also that the House of Commons sat till five o'clock this
morning, upon the business of the difference between the Lords and them,
resolving to do something therein before they rise, to assert their
privileges. So I at noon by water to Westminster, and there find the King
hath waited in the Prince's chamber these two hours, and the Houses are
not ready for him. The Commons having sent this morning, after their long
debate therein the last night, to the Lords, that they do think the only
expedient left to preserve unity between the two Houses is, that they do
put a stop to any proceedings upon