Around 1660 to 1661 Charles Gerard 1st Earl Macclesfield (age 43) lived at 1 Great Piazza Covent Garden.

Pepy's Diary. 01 Jan 1663. Lay with my wife at my Lord's lodgings, where I have been these two nights, till 10 o'clock with great pleasure talking, then I rose and to White Hall, where I spent a little time walking among the courtiers, which I perceive I shall be able to do with great confidence, being now beginning to be pretty well known among them. Then to my wife again, and found Mrs. Sarah with us in the chamber we lay in. Among other discourse, Mrs. Sarah tells us how the King (age 32) sups at least four or [five] times every week with my Baroness Castlemaine's (age 22); and most often stays till the morning with her, and goes home through the garden all alone privately, and that so as the very centrys take notice of it and speak of it. She tells me, that about a month ago she [Baroness Castlemaine (age 22)] quickened at my Lord Gerard's (age 45) at dinner, and cried out that she was undone; and all the lords and men were fain to quit the room, and women called to help her. In fine, I find that there is nothing almost but bawdry at Court from top to bottom, as, if it were fit, I could instance, but it is not necessary; only they say my Lord Chesterfield (age 29), groom of the stole to the Queen (age 24), is either gone or put away from the Court upon the score of his lady's (age 22) having smitten the Duke of York (age 29), so as that he is watched by the Duchess of York (age 25), and his lady (age 22) is retired into the country upon it. How much of this is true, God knows, but it is common talk.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Mar 1663. So I left him, and Creed and I to Westminster Hall [Map], and there walked a good while. He told me how for some words of my Baroness Gerard's¹ against my Baroness Castlemaine's (age 22) to the Queen (age 24), the King (age 32) did the other day affront her in going out to dance with her at a ball, when she desired it as the ladies do, and is since forbid attending the Queen (age 24) by the King (age 32); which is much talked of, my Lord her husband being a great favourite.

Note 1. Jane, wife of Lord Gerard (age 45) (see ante, January 1st, 1662-63). The King (age 32) had previously put a slight upon Baroness Gerard, probably at the instigation of Baroness Castlemaine's (age 22), as the two ladies were not friends. On the 4th of January of this same year Baroness Gerard had given a supper to the King (age 32) and Queen (age 24), when the King (age 32) withdrew from the party and proceeded to the house of Baroness Castlemaine's (age 22), and remained there throughout the evening (see Steinman's "Memoir of Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland", 1871, p. 47).

Pepy's Diary. 13 Oct 1663. Then to the office, and there busy till late, and so home to my wife, with some ease and pleasure that I hope to be able to follow my business again, which by God's leave I am resolved to return to with more and more eagerness. I find at Court, that either the King (age 33) is doubtfull of some disturbance, or else would seem so (and I have reason to hope it is no worse), by his commanding all commanders of castles, &c., to repair to their charges; and mustering the Guards the other day himself, where he found reason to dislike their condition to my Lord Gerard (age 45), finding so many absent men, or dead pays¹.

Note 1. This is probably an allusion to the practice of not reporting the deaths of soldiers, that the officers might continue to draw their pay. B.

Pepy's Diary. 09 Nov 1663. The Duke of Monmouth (age 14) is to have part of the Cockpitt [Map] new built for lodgings for him, and they say to be made Captain of the Guards in the room of my Lord Gerard (age 45). Having thus talked with him, there comes into the Hall Creed and Ned Pickering (age 45), and after a turne or two with them, it being noon, I walked with them two to the King's Head ordinary, and there we dined; little discourse but what was common, only that the Duke of Yorke (age 30) is a very, desperate huntsman, but I was ashamed of Pickering, who could not forbear having up my Lord Sandwich (age 38) now and then in the most paltry matters abominable.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Apr 1667. Thence back to White Hall, and there saw the King (age 36) come out of chapel after prayers in the afternoon, which he is never at but after having received the Sacrament: and the Court, I perceive, is quite out of mourning; and some very fine; among others, my Lord Gerard (age 49), in a very rich vest and coat. Here I met with my Lord Bellasses (age 52): and it is pretty to see what a formal story he tells me of his leaving, his place upon the death of my Lord Cleveland (deceased), by which he is become Captain of the Pensioners; and that the King (age 36) did leave it to him to keep the other or take this; whereas, I know the contrary, that they had a mind to have him away from Tangier. He tells me he is commanded by the King (age 36) to go down to the Northward to satisfy the Deputy Lieutenants of Yorkshire, who have desired to lay down their commissions upon pretence of having no profit by their places but charge, but indeed is upon the Duke of Buckingham's (age 39) being under a cloud (of whom there is yet nothing heard), so that the King (age 36) is apprehensive of their discontent, and sends him to pacify them, and I think he is as good a dissembler as any man else, and a fine person he is for person, and proper to lead the Pensioners, but a man of no honour nor faith I doubt.

Pepy's Diary. 14 Sep 1667. And he tells me that he do think that what the King (age 37) do, of giving the Duke of Monmouth (age 18) the command of his Guards, and giving my Lord Gerard (age 49) £12,000 for it, is merely to find an employment for him upon which he may live, and not out of any design to bring him into any title to the Crowne; which Mr. Moore did the other day put me into great fear of.

Pepy's Diary. 11 Nov 1667. Thence with him and Lord Bruncker (age 47) to Captain Cocke's (age 50) (he out of doors), and there drank their morning draught, and thence Sir G. Carteret (age 57) and I toward the Temple [Map] in coach together; and there he did tell me how the King (age 37) do all he can in the world to overthrow my Chancellor (age 58), and that notice is taken of every man about the King (age 37) that is not seen to promote the ruine of the Chancellor (age 58); and that this being another great day in his business, he dares not but be there. He tells me that as soon as Secretary Morrice (age 65) brought the Great Seale from my Chancellor (age 58), Bab. May (age 39) fell upon his knees, and catched the King (age 37) about the legs, and joyed him, and said that this was the first time that ever he could call him King of England, being freed from this great man: which was a most ridiculous saying. And he told me that, when first my Lord Gerard (age 49), a great while ago, come to the King (age 37), and told him that the Chancellor (age 58) did say openly that the King (age 37) was a lazy person and not fit to govern, which is now made one of the things in the people's mouths against the Chancellor (age 58), "Why", says the King (age 37), "that is no news, for he hath told me so twenty times, and but the other day he told me so"; and made matter of mirth at it: but yet this light discourse is likely to prove bad to him. I 'light at the Temple [Map], and went to my tailor's and mercer's about a cloake, to choose the stuff, and so to my bookseller's and bought some books, and so home to dinner, and Simpson my joyner with me, and after dinner, my wife, and I, and Willett, to the King's play-house, and there saw "The Indian Emperour", a good play, but not so good as people cry it up, I think, though above all things Nell's ill speaking of a great part made me mad.

Pepy's Diary. 09 Dec 1667. At noon I to the 'Change [Map], and there did a little business, and among other things called at Cade's, the stationer, where he tells me how my Lord Gerard (age 49) is troubled for several things in the House of Commons, and in one wherein himself is concerned; and, it seems, this Lord is a very proud and wicked man, and the Parliament is likely to order him.

Pepy's Diary. 16 Dec 1667. Up, and to several places, to pay what I owed. Among others, to my mercer, to pay for my fine camlott cloak, which costs me, the very stuff, almost £6; and also a velvet coat-the outside cost me above £8. And so to Westminster, where I find the House mighty busy upon a petition against my Lord Gerard (age 49), which lays heavy things to his charge, of his abusing the King (age 37) in his Guards; and very hot the House is upon it. I away home to dinner alone with wife and girle, and so to the office, where mighty busy to my great content late, and then home to supper, talk with my wife, and to bed. It was doubtful to-day whether the House should be adjourned to-morrow or no.

Pepy's Diary. 19 Dec 1667. Thence to the 'Change [Map], where I stayed very little, and so home to dinner, and there find my wife mightily out of order with her teeth. At the office all the afternoon, and at night by coach to Westminster, to the Hall, where I met nobody, and do find that this evening the King (age 37) by message (which he never did before) hath passed several bills, among others that for the Accounts, and for banishing my Chancellor (age 58), and hath adjourned the House to February; at which I am glad, hoping in this time to get leisure to state my Tangier Accounts, and to prepare better for the Parliament's enquiries. Here I hear how the House of Lords, with great severity, if not tyranny, have ordered poor Carr, who only erred in the manner of the presenting his petition against my Lord Gerard (age 49), it being first printed before it was presented; which was, it, seems, by Colonel Sands's going into the country, into whose hands he had put it: the poor man is ordered to stand in the pillory two or three times, and his eares cut, and be imprisoned I know not how long. But it is believed that the Commons, when they meet, will not be well pleased with it; and they have no reason, I think. Having only heard this from Mrs. Michell, I away again home, and there to supper and to bed, my wife exceeding ill in her face with the tooth ake, and now her face has become mightily swelled that I am mightily troubled for it.

Pepy's Diary. 23 Dec 1667. Thence meeting there with Creed, he and I to the Exchange [Map], and there I saw Carr stand in the pillory for the business of my Lord Gerard (age 49), which is supposed will make a hot business in the House of Commons, when they shall come to sit again, the Lords having ordered this with great injustice, as all people think, his only fault being the printing his petition before, by accident, his petition be read in the House. Here walked up and down the Exchange [Map] with Creed, and then home to dinner, and there hear by Creed that the Bishops of Winchester and of Rochester, Kent [Map], and the Dean of the Chapel, and some other great prelates, are suspended: and a cloud upon the Archbishop ever since the late business in the House of Lords; and I believe it will be a heavy blow to the Clergy. This noon I bought a sermon of Dr. Floyd's, which Creed read a great part of to me and Mr. Hollier (age 58), who dined with me, but as well writ and as good, against the Church of Rome, as ever I read; but, Lord! how Hollier (age 58), poor man, was taken with it. They gone I to the office, and there very late with Mr. Willson and my people about the making of a new contract for the victualler, which do and will require a great deal of pains of me, and so to supper and to bed, my wife being pretty well all this day by reason of her imposthume being broke in her cheek into her mouth. This day, at the 'Change [Map], Creed shewed me Mr. Coleman, of whom my wife hath so good an opinion, and says that he is as very a rogue for women as any in the world; which did disquiet me, like a fool, and run in my mind a great while.

Pepy's Diary. 20 Jan 1668. Thence and home, and then to the 'Change [Map] in the evening, and there Mr. Cade told me how my Lord Gerard (age 50) is likely to meet with trouble, the next sitting of Parliament, about [Carr (age 31)] being set in the pillory; and I am glad of it; and it is mighty acceptable to the world to hear, that, among other reductions, the King (age 37) do reduce his Guards, which do please mightily.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Feb 1668. Up, and to the office, to the getting of my books in order, to carry to the Commissioners of Accounts this morning. This being done, I away first to Westminster Hall [Map], and there met my cozen, Roger Pepys (age 50), by his desire, the first time I have seen him since his coming to town, the Parliament meeting yesterday and adjourned to Monday next; and here he tells me that Mr. Jackson (age 28), my sister's servant, is come to town, and hath this day suffered a recovery on his estate, in order to the making her a settlement. The young man is gone out of the Hall, so I could not now see him, but here I walked a good while with my cozen, and among other things do hear that there is a great triall between my Lord Gerard (age 50) and Carr (age 31) to-day, who is indicted for his life at the King's Bench, for running from his colours; but all do say that my Lord Gerard (age 50), though he designs the ruining of this man, will not get any thing by it.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Feb 1668. Up, and to the office, where sat all day, and at noon home, and there find cozen Roger (age 50) and Jackson (age 28) by appointment come to dine with me, and Creed, and very merry, only Jackson (age 28) hath few words, and I like him never the worse for it. The great talk is of Carr's (age 31) coming off in all his trials, to the disgrace of my Lord Gerard (age 50), to that degree, and the ripping up of so many notorious rogueries and cheats of my Lord's, that my Lord, it is thought, will be ruined; and, above all things, do skew the madness of the House of Commons, who rejected the petition of this poor man by a combination of a few in the House; and, much more, the base proceedings (just the epitome of all our publick managements in this age), of the House of Lords, that ordered him to stand in the pillory for those very things, without hearing and examining what he hath now, by the seeking of my Lord Gerard (age 50) himself, cleared himself of, in open Court, to the gaining himself the pity of all the world, and shame for ever to my Lord Gerard (age 50). We had a great deal of good discourse at table, and after dinner we four men took coach, and they set me down at the Old Exchange [Map], and they home, having discoursed nothing today with cozen or Jackson (age 28) about our business. I to Captain Cocke's (age 51), and there discoursed over our business of prizes, and I think I shall go near to state the matter so as to secure myself without wrong to him, doing nor saying anything but the very truth.

Pepy's Diary. 22 Feb 1668. Thence to Westminster Hall [Map] and the lobby, and up and down there all the morning, and to the Lords' House, and heard the Solicitor-General plead very finely, as he always do; and this was in defence of the East India Company against a man that complains of wrong from them, and thus up and down till noon in expectation of our business coming on in the House of Commons about tickets, but they being busy about my Lord Gerard's (age 50) business I did give over the thoughts of ours coming on, and so with my wife, and Mercer, and Deb., who come to the Hall to me, I away to the Beare, in Drury Lane, and there bespoke a dish of meat; and, in the mean time, sat and sung with Mercer; and, by and by, dined with mighty pleasure, and excellent meat, one little dish enough for us all, and good wine, and all for 8s., and thence to the Duke's playhouse, and there saw "Albumazar", an old play, this the second time of acting. It is said to have been the ground of B. Jonson's "Alchymist"; but, saving the ridicuiousnesse of Angell's part, which is called Trinkilo, I do not see any thing extraordinary in it, but was indeed weary of it before it was done. The King (age 37) here, and, indeed, all of us, pretty merry at the mimique tricks of Trinkilo.

Pepy's Diary. 13 Nov 1668. Up, and with Sir W. Pen (age 47) by coach to White Hall, where to the Duke of York (age 35), and there did our usual business; and thence I to the Commissioners of the Treasury, where I staid, and heard an excellent case argued between my Lord Gerard (age 50) and the Town of Newcastle [Map], about a piece of ground which that Lord hath got a grant of, under the Exchequer Seal, which they were endeavouring to get of the King (age 38) under the Great Seal. I liked mightily the Counsel for the town, Shaftow, their Recorder, and Mr. Offly. But I was troubled, and so were the Lords, to hear my Lord fly out against their great pretence of merit from the King (age 38), for their sufferings and loyalty; telling them that they might thank him for that repute which they have for their loyalty, for that it was he that forced them to be so, against their wills, when he was there: and, moreover, did offer a paper to the Lords to read from the Town, sent in 1648; but the Lords would not read it; but I believe it was something about bringing the King (age 38) to trial, or some such thing, in that year.

Evelyn's Diary. 04 Dec 1685. Lord Sunderland (age 44) was declar'd President of ye Counsel, and yet to hold his Secretarie's place. The forces dispos'd into severall quarters thro' ye kingdome are very insolent, on wch are greate complaints. Lord Brandon (age 67) tried for the late conspiracy, was condemn'd and pardon'd; so was Lord Grey (age 30), his accuser and witnesse.

Evelyn's Diary. 21 Jan 1694. Lord Macclesfield (deceased), Lord Warrington (deceased), and Lord Westmorland, all died within about one week. Several persons shot, hanged, and made away with themselves.