Pepy's Diary. 26 Aug 1667. Then to the office, where we sat upon a particular business all the morning: and my Lord Anglesey (age 53) with us: who, and my Lord Bruncker (age 47), do bring us news how my Chancellor's (age 58) seal is to be taken away from him to-day. The thing is so great and sudden to me, that it put me into a very great admiration what should be the meaning of it; and they do not own that they know what it should be: but this is certain, that the King (age 37) did resolve it on Saturday, and did yesterday send the Duke of Albemarle (age 58), the only man fit for those works, to him for his purse: to which the Chancellor (age 58) answered, that he received it from the King (age 37), and would deliver it to the King's own hand, and so civilly returned the Duke of Albemarle (age 58) without it; and this morning my Chancellor (age 58) is to be with the King (age 37), to come to an end in the business. After sitting, we rose, and my wife being gone abroad with Mrs. Turner (age 44) to her washing at the whitster's, I dined at Sir W. Batten's (age 66), where Mr. Boreman was, who come from White Hall; who tells us that he saw my Chancellor (age 58) come in his coach with some of his men, without his Seal, to White Hall to his chamber; and thither the King (age 37) and Duke of York (age 33) come and staid together alone, an hour or more: and it is said that the King (age 37) do say that he will have the Parliament meet, and that it will prevent much trouble by having of him out of their enmity, by his place being taken away; for that all their enmity will be at him. It is said also that my Chancellor (age 58) answers, that he desires he may be brought to his trial, if he have done any thing to lose his office; and that he will be willing, and is most desirous, to lose that, and his head both together. Upon what terms they parted nobody knows but the Chancellor (age 58) looked sad, he says. Then in comes Sir Richard Ford (age 53), and says he hears that there is nobody more presses to reconcile the King (age 37) and Chancellor (age 58) than the Duke of Albemarle (age 58) and Duke of Buckingham (age 39): the latter of which is very strange, not only that he who was so lately his enemy should do it, but that this man, that but the other day was in danger of losing his own head, should so soon come to be a mediator for others: it shows a wise Government. They all say that he [Clarendon] is but a poor man, not worth above £3000 a-year in land; but this I cannot believe: and all do blame him for having built so great a house, till he had got a better estate. Having dined, Sir J. Minnes (age 68) and I to White Hall, where we could be informed in no more than we were told before, nobody knowing the result of the meeting, but that the matter is suspended. So I walked to the King's playhouse, there to meet Sir W. Pen (age 46), and saw "The Surprizall", a very mean play, I thought: or else it was because I was out of humour, and but very little company in the house. But there Sir W. Pen (age 46) and I had a great deal of discourse with Moll; who tells us that [his mother] Nell (age 17) is already left by my Lord Buckhurst (age 24), and that he makes sport of her, and swears she hath had all she could get of him; and Hart¹, her great admirer, now hates her; and that she is very poor, and hath lost my Baroness Castlemayne (age 26), who was her great friend also but she is come to the House, but is neglected by them all². Thence with Sir W. Pen (age 46) home, and I to the office, where late about business, and then home to supper, and so to bed.

Note 1. Charles Hart, great-nephew of Shakespeare, a favourite actor. He is credited with being Nell Gwyn's (age 17) first lover (or Charles I, as the wits put it), and with having brought her on the stage. He died of stone, and was buried at Stanmore Magna, Middlesex, where he had a country house.

Note 2. Lord Buckhurst's (age 24) liaison with Nell Gwyn probably came to an end about this time. We learn from Pepys that in January, 1667-68, the King (age 37) sent several times for Nelly (age 17) (see January 11th, 1667-68). Nell's eldest son by Charles II, Charles Beauclerc, was not born till May 8th, 1670. He was created Earl of Burford in 1676 and Duke of St. Albans in 1684.