Here it was good Mr. Pepys saw the Countess of
Castlemaine, among many fine ladies, lying "impudently upon her
back in her coach asleep, with her mouth wide open." And on
another occasion the same ingenious gentleman observed the king
and my lady pass and repass in their respective coaches, they
greeting one another at every turn.
But Mr. Pepys gives us another picture, in which he shows us the
king riding right gallantly beside his queen, and therefore
presents him to better advantage. This excellent gossip,
sauntering down Pall Mall one bright summer day, it being the
middle of July, in the year 1663, met the queen mother walking
there, led by her supposed husband, the Earl of St. Albans. And,
hearing the king and queen rode abroad with the ladies of honour
to the park, and seeing a great crowd of gallants awaiting their
return, he also stayed, walking up and down the while. "By-and-
by," says he, "the king and queene, who looked in this dress (a
white laced waistcoate and a crimson short pettycoate, and her
hair dressed A LA NEGLIGENCE) mighty pretty; and the king rode
hand in hand with her. Here was also my Lady Castlemaine riding
amongst the rest of the ladies; but the king took, methought, no
notice of her; nor when they light did anybody press (as she
seemed to expect, and staid for it) to take her down, but was
taken down by her own gentlemen. She looked mighty out of
humour, and had a yellow plume in her hat (which all took notice
of), and yet is very handsome.
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