Pepy's Diary. 27 Jan 1667. Here we met with Mr. May (age 45), 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 (age 49) the Duchesse of York (age 29) sitting in state, while her own mother (age 49) stands by her; he had a desire, and I shewed him my Baroness Castlemayne (age 26), 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 not¹.

Note 1. There is little reason to doubt that it was such as Evelyn describes it at a later time. "I can never forget the inexpressible luxury and prophaneness, gaming, and all dissoluteness, and, as it were, total forgetfulness of God (it being Sunday evening) which this day se'nnight I was witness of; the King (age 36) sitting and toying with his concubines, Portsmouth (age 17), Cleveland (age 26), Mazarin (age 20), &c. A French boy singing love songs in that glorious gallery, whilst about twenty of the great courtiers and other dissolute persons were at basset round a large table, a bank of at least £2,000 in gold before them; upon which two gentlemen who were with me made reflexions with astonishment. Six days after was all in the dust". B.

Around 1671 Godfrey Kneller (age 24). Portrait of Hortense Mancini Duchess of Mazarin (age 24).

Around Jun 1676 Hortense Mancini Duchess of Mazarin (age 29) had become the mistress of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 46) for whom he had provided a pension of £4000 each year.

Evelyn's Diary. 06 Sep 1676. Supped at the Lord Chamberlain's (age 58), where also supped the famous beauty and errant lady, the Duchess of Mazarine (age 30) (all the world knows her story), the Duke of Monmouth (age 27), Countess of Sussex (age 15) (both natural children of the King (age 46) by the Duchess of Cleveland (age 35)) [Note. A mistake by Evelyn. Jame's Scott's (age 27) mother was Lucy Walter, Anne Fitzroy's (age 15) mother was Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 35)], and the Countess of Derby (age 16), a virtuous lady, daughter to my best friend, the Earl of Ossory (age 42).

Evelyn's Diary. 11 Jun 1699. After a long drought, we had a refreshing shower. The day before, there was a dreadful fire at Rotherhithe [Map], near the Thames side, which burned divers ships, and consumed nearly three hundred houses. Now died the famous Duchess of Mazarin (age 53); she had been the richest lady in Europe. She was niece of Cardinal Mazarin, and was married to the richest subject in Europe (age 67), as is said. She was born at Rome, Italy, educated in France, and was an extraordinary beauty and wit but dissolute and impatient of matrimonial restraint, so as to be abandoned by her husband (age 67), and banished, when she came into England for shelter, lived on a pension given her here, and is reported to have hastened her death by intemperate drinking strong spirits. She has written her own story and adventures, and so has her other extravagant sister (age 59), wife to the noble family of Colonna.