14.  It was a lovely day this, and I took the advantage of walking a good deal in the Park, before I went to Court.  Colonel Disney, one of our Society, is ill of a fever, and, we fear, in great danger.  We all love him mightily, and he would be a great loss.  I doubt I shall not buy the library; for a roguey bookseller has offered sixty pounds more than I designed to give; so you see I meant to have a good bargain.  I dined with Lord Treasurer and his Saturday company; but there were but seven at table.  Lord Peterborrow is ill, and spits blood, with a bruise he got before he left England; but, I believe, an Italian lady he has brought over is the cause that his illness returns.  You know old Lady Bellasis[22] is dead at last?  She has left Lord Berkeley of Stratton[23] one of her executors, and it will be of great advantage to him; they say above ten thousand pounds.  I stayed with Lord Treasurer upon business, after the company was gone; but I dare not tell you upon what.  My letters would be good memoirs, if I durst venture to say a thousand things that pass; but I hear so much of letters opening at your post-office that I am fearful, etc., and so good-nite, sollahs, rove Pdfr, MD.

15.  Lord Treasurer engaged me to dine with him again to-day, and I had ready what he wanted; but he would not see it, but put me off till to-morrow.  The Queen goes to chapel now.  She is carried in an open chair, and will be well enough to go to Parliament on Tuesday, if the Houses meet, which is not yet certain; neither, indeed, can the Ministers themselves tell; for it depends on winds and weather, and circumstances of negotiation.  However, we go on as if it was certainly to meet; and I am to be at Lord Treasurer’s to-morrow, upon that supposition, to settle some things relating that way.  Ppt[24] may understand me.  The doctors tell me that if poor Colonel Disney does not get some sleep to-night, he must die.  What care you?  Ah! but I do care.  He is one of our Society; a fellow of abundance of humour; an old battered rake, but very honest, not an old man, but an old rake.  It was he that said of Jenny Kingdom,[25] the maid of honour, who is a little old, that, since she could not get a husband, the Queen should give her a brevet to act as a married woman.  You don’t understand this.  They give brevets to majors and captains to act as colonels in the army.  Brevets are commissions.  Ask soldiers, dull sollahs.  Nite MD.

16.  I was at Lord Treasurer’s before he came; and, as he entered, he told me the Parliament was prorogued till Thursday se’nnight.  They have had some expresses, by which they count that the peace may be signed by that time; at least, that France, Holland, and we, will sign some articles, by which we shall engage to sign the peace when it is ready:  but Spain has no Minister there; for Monteleon, who is to be their Ambassador at Utrecht, is not yet gone from hence; and till he is there,