Pepy's Diary. 01 Jul 1663. Walking out, I hear that the House of Lords are offended that my [her father] Lord Digby (age 50) should come to this House and make a speech there without leave first asked of the House of Lords. I hear also of another difficulty now upon him; that my [her future husband] Lord of Sunderland (age 21) (whom I do not know) was so near to the marriage of his daughter (age 17) as that the wedding-clothes were made, and portion and every thing agreed on and ready; and the other day he goes away nobody yet knows whither, sending her the next morning a release of his right or claim to her, and advice to his friends not to enquire into the reason of this doing, for he hath enough for it; but that he gives them liberty to say and think what they will of him, so they do not demand the reason of his leaving her, being resolved never to have her, but the reason desires and resolves not to give.

Before 1666 Peter Lely (age 47). Portrait of Anne Digby Countess Sunderland (age 19). One of the Windsor Beauties.

Evelyn's Diary. 22 Sep 1671. This over, I went that night with Mr. Treasurer (age 41) to Euston, a palace of Lord Arlington's (age 53), where we found Monsieur Colbert (age 46) (the French Ambassador), and the famous new French Maid of Honor, Mademoiselle Querouaille (age 22), now coming to be in great favor with the King (age 41). Here was also the Countess of Sunderland (age 25), and several lords and ladies, who lodged in the house.

Evelyn's Diary. 08 Oct 1672. I took leave of my Lady Sunderland (age 26), who was going to Paris [Map] to my Lord, now ambassador there. She made me stay to dinner at Leicester House, and afterward sent for Richardson, the famous fire-eater. He devoured brimstone on glowing coals before us, chewing and swallowing them; he melted a beer-glass and ate it quite up; then, taking a live coal on his tongue, he put on it a raw oyster, the coal was blown on with bellows till it flamed and sparkled in his mouth, and so remained till the oyster gaped and was quite boiled. Then, he melted pitch and wax with sulphur, which he drank down as it flamed; I saw it flaming in his mouth a good while; he also took up a thick piece of iron, such as laundresses use to put in their smoothing boxes, when it was fiery hot, held it between his teeth, then in his hand, and threw it about like a stone; but this, I observed, he cared not to hold very long; then he stood on a small pot, and, bending his body, took a glowing iron with his mouth from between his feet, without touching the pot, or ground, with his hands; with divers other prodigious feats.

Evelyn's Diary. 16 Mar 1676. The Countess of Sunderland (age 30) and I went by water to Parson's Green, to visit my Baroness Mordaunt (age 44), and to consult with her about my Lord's monument. We returned by coach.

Evelyn's Diary. 30 Mar 1676. Dining with my Lady Sunderland (age 30), I saw a fellow swallow a knife, and divers great pebble stones, which would make a plain rattling one against another. The knife was in a sheath of horn.

Evelyn's Diary. 15 Jan 1679. I went with my Lady Sunderland (age 33) to Chelsea, and dined with the [her mother] Countess of Bristol (age 59) [her mother] in the great house, formerly the Duke of Buckingham's, a spacious and excellent place for the extent of ground and situation in a good air. The house is large but ill-contrived, though my [her father] Lord of Bristol, who purchased it after he sold Wimbledon to my Lord Treasurer (age 46), expended much money on it. There were divers pictures of Titian and Vandyke, and some of Bassano, very excellent, especially an Adonis and Venus, a Duke of Venice, a butcher in his shambles selling meat to a Swiss; and of Vandyke, my Lord of Bristol's picture, with the Earl of Bedford's at length, in the same table. There was in the garden a rare collection of orange trees, of which she was pleased to bestow some upon me.

Evelyn's Diary. 06 Nov 1679. Dined at the Countess of Sunderland's (age 33), and was this evening at the remarriage of the Duchess of Grafton (age 11) to the Duke (age 16) his Majesty's (age 49) natural son), she being now twelve years old. The ceremony was performed in my Lord Chamberlain's (age 61) (her father's) lodgings at Whitehall by the Bishop of Rochester (age 54), his Majesty (age 49) being present. A sudden and unexpected thing, when everybody believed the first marriage would have come to nothing; but, the measure being determined, I was privately invited by my Lady (age 45), her mother, to be present. I confess I could give her little joy, and so I plainly told her, but she said the King (age 49) would have it so, and there was no going back. This sweetest, most hopeful, most beautiful, child, and most virtuous, too, was sacrificed to a boy that had been rudely bred, without anything to encourage them but his Majesty's (age 49) pleasure. I pray God the sweet child find it to her advantage, who, if my augury deceive me not, will in a few years be such a paragon as were fit to make the wife of the greatest Prince in Europe! I staid supper, where his Majesty (age 49) sat between the Duchess of Cleveland (age 38) (the mother of the Duke of Grafton) and the sweet Duchess (age 11) the bride; there were several great persons and ladies, without pomp. My love to my Lord Arlington's (age 61) family, and the sweet child made me behold all this with regret, though as the Duke of Grafton (age 16) affects the sea, to which I find his father intends to use him, he may emerge a plain, useful and robust officer: and were he polished, a tolerable person; for he is exceedingly handsome, by far surpassing any of the King's (age 49) other natural issue.

Evelyn's Diary. 18 Nov 1679. I dined at my Lord Mayor's (age 50), being desired by the Countess of Sunderland (age 33) to carry her thither on a solemn day, that she might see the pomp and ceremony of this Prince of Citizens, there never having been any, who for the stateliness of his palace, prodigious feasting, and magnificence, exceeded him. This Lord Mayor's acquaintance had been from the time of his being apprentice to one Mr. Abbot, his uncle [Note. His mother's brother], who being a scrivener, and an honest worthy man, one who was condemned to die at the beginning of the troubles forty years past, as concerned in the commission of array for King Charles I had escaped with his life; I often used his assistance in money matters. Robert Clayton (age 50), then a boy, his nephew, became, after his uncle Abbot's death, so prodigiously rich and opulent, that he was reckoned one of the wealthiest citizens. He married a free-hearted woman, who became his hospitable disposition; and having no children, with the accession of his partner and fellow apprentice, who also left him his estate, he grew excessively rich. He was a discreet magistrate, and though envied, I think without much cause. Some believed him guilty of hard dealing, especially with the Duke of Buckingham (age 51), much of whose estate he had swallowed, but I never saw any ill by him, considering the trade he was of. The reputation and known integrity of his uncle, Abbot, brought all the royal party to him, by which he got not only great credit, but vast wealth, so as he passed this office with infinite magnificence and honor.

Evelyn's Diary. 24 Jul 1680. We all dined at the Countess of Sunderland's (age 34), afterward to see Signor Verrio's (age 44) garden, thence to Eton College [Map], to salute the provost, and heard a Latin speech of one of the alumni (it being at the election) and were invited to supper; but took our leave, and got to London that night in good time.

Evelyn's Diary. 16 May 1681. Came my Lady Sunderland (age 35), to desire that I would propose a match to Sir Stephen Fox (age 54) for her [her son] son (age 6), Lord Spencer, to marry Mrs. Jane (age 12), Sir Stephen's (age 54) daughter. I excused myself all I was able; for the truth is, I was afraid he would prove an extravagant man: for, though a youth of extraordinary parts, and had an excellent education to render him a worthy man, yet his early inclinations to extravagance made me apprehensive, that I should not serve Sir Stephen (age 54) by proposing it, like a friend; this being now his only daughter, well-bred, and likely to receive a large share of her father's opulence. [her husband] Lord Sunderland (age 39) was much sunk in his estate by gaming and other prodigalities, and was now no longer Secretary of State, having fallen into displeasure of the King (age 50) for siding with the Commons about the succession; but which, I am assured, he did not do out of his own inclination, or for the preservation of the Protestant religion, but by mistaking the ability of the party to carry it. However, so earnest and importunate was the Countess (age 35), that I did mention it to Sir Stephen, who said it was too great an honor, that his daughter (age 12) was very young, as well as my Lord, and he was resolved never to marry her without the parties' mutual liking; with other objections which I neither would or could contradict. He desired me to express to the Countess the great sense he had of the honor done him, that his daughter and her son were too young, that he would do nothing without her liking, which he did not think her capable of expressing judiciously, till she was sixteen or seventeen years of age, of which she now wanted four years, and that I would put it off as civilly as I could.

Evelyn's Diary. 02 Aug 1683. The Countesses of [her mother] Bristol (age 63) and Sunderland (age 37), aunt and cousin-german of the late Lord Russell (deceased), came to visit me, and condole his sad fate. The next day, came [her uncle] Colonel Russell (age 63), uncle to the late Lord Russell (deceased), and brother to the [her uncle] Earl of Bedford (age 67), and with him Mrs. Middleton (age 38), that famous and indeed incomparable beauty, daughter to my relation, Sir Robert Needham.

Evelyn's Diary. 27 Jan 1685. I din'd at [her husband] Lord Sunderland's (age 43), being invited to heare that celebrated voice of Mr. Pordage, newly come from Rome; his singing was after the Venetian recitative, as masterly as could be, and with an excellent voice both treble and basse; Dr. Walgrave accompanied it with his theorba lute, on which he perform'd beyond imagination, and is doubtlesse orie of the greatest masters in Europe on that charming in strument. Pordage is a priest, as Mr. Bernard Howard (age 44) told me in private. There was in the roome where we din'd, and in his bed-chamber, those incomparable pieces of Columbus, a Flagellation, the Grammar-schoole, the Venus and Adonis of Titian; and of Vandyke's that picture of the [her father] late E. of Digby (father of the Countess of Sunderland (age 39)), and [her uncle] Earle of Bedford (age 68), Sr Kenelm Digby, and two Ladys of incomparable performance; besides that of Moses and the burning bush of Bassano, and several other pieces of ye best masters. A marble head of M. Brutus, &c.

Evelyn's Diary. 17 Apr 1685. Good Friday. Dr. Tenison (age 48) preached at the new church at St. James's, on 1 Cor. 16, 22, upon the infinite love of God to us, which he illustrated in many instances. The holy Sacrament followed, at which I participated. The Lord make me thankfull. In tbe after noone Dr. Sprat, Bp. of Rochester (age 50), preached in Whitehall Chapell, the auditory very full of Lords, the two Archbishops, and many others, now drawne to towne upon the occasion of the Coronation and ensuing Parliament. I supp'd with the Countesse of Sunderland (age 39) and Lord Godolphin (age 39), and return'd home.

Evelyn's Diary. 23 Oct 1686. Went with the Countess of Sunderland (age 40) to Cranbourne, a lodge and walk of my Lord Godolphin's (age 41) in Windsor park. There was one room in the house spared in the pulling down the old one, because the late Duchess of York was born in it; the rest was built and added to it by Sir George Carteret, Treasurer of the Navy; and since, the whole was purchased by my Lord Godolphin (age 41), who spoke to me to go see it, and advise what trees were fit to be cut down to improve the dwelling, being environed with old rotten pollards, which corrupt the air. It stands on a knoll which though insensibly rising, gives it a prospect over the Keep of Windsor, about three miles N. E. of it. The ground is clayey and moist; the water stark naught; the park is pretty; the house tolerable, and gardens convenient. After dinner, we came back to London, having two coaches both going and coming, of six horses apiece, which we changed at Hounslow.

Evelyn's Diary. 16 Dec 1686. I carried the Countess of Sunderland (age 40) to see the rarities of one Mr. Charlton in the Middle Temple, who showed us such a collection as I had never seen in all my travels abroad either of private gentlemen, or princes. It consisted of miniatures, drawings, shells, insects, medals, natural things, animals (of which divers, I think 100, were kept in glasses of spirits of wine), minerals, precious stones, vessels, curiosities in amber, crystal, agate, etc.; all being very perfect and rare of their kind, especially his books of birds, fish, flowers, and shells, drawn and miniatured to the life. He told us that one book stood him in £300; it was painted by that excellent workman, whom the late Gaston, Duke of Orléans, employed. This gentleman's whole collection, gathered by himself, traveling over most parts of Europe, is estimated at £8,000. He appeared to be a modest and obliging person.

Evelyn's Diary. 15 Aug 1688. I went to Althorpe [Map], in Northamptonshire, seventy miles. A coach and four horses took up me and my son at Whitehall, and carried us to Dunstable [Map], where we arrived and dined at noon, and from thence another coach and six horses carried us to Althorpe [Map], four miles beyond Northampton, where we arrived by seven o'clock that evening. Both these coaches were hired for me by that noble Countess of Sunderland (age 42), who invited me to her house at Althorpe, where she entertained me and my son with very extraordinary kindness; I stayed till the Thursday.

Evelyn's Diary. 18 Aug 1688. My lady (age 42) carried us to see Lord Northampton's (age 23) Seat, a very strong, large house, built with stone, not altogether modern. They were enlarging the garden, in which was nothing extraordinary, except the iron gate opening into the park, which indeed was very good work, wrought in flowers painted with blue and gilded. There is a noble walk of elms toward the front of the house by the bowling green. I was not in any room of the house besides a lobby looking into the garden, where my Lord (age 23) and his new Countess (age 19) (Sir Stephen Fox's (age 61) daughter, whom I had known from a child) entertained the Countess (age 42) and her daughter the [her daughter] Countess of Arran (age 21) (newly married to the [her son-in-law] son (age 30) of the Duke of Hamilton (age 53)), with so little good grace, and so dully, that our visit was very short, and so we returned to Althorpe [Map], twelve miles distant.

Evelyn's Diary. 29 Oct 1688. Lady Sunderland (age 42) acquainted me with his Majesty's (age 55) taking away the Seals from [her husband] Lord Sunderland (age 47), and of her being with the Queen (age 30) to intercede for him. It is conceived that he had of late grown remiss in pursuing the interest of the Jesuitical counsels; some reported one thing, some another; but there was doubtless some secret betrayed, which time may discover.

Evelyn's Diary. 11 Jul 1689. The Countess of Sunderland (age 43) afterward told me that it extended as far as Althorpe [Map] at the very time, which is seventy miles from London. It did no harm at Deptford [Map], but at Greenwich [Map] it did much mischief.

Evelyn's Diary. 24 Apr 1691. I visited the [her husband] Earl (age 49) and Countess of Sunderland (age 45), now come to kiss the King's (age 40) hand after his return from Holland. This is a mystery. The King (age 40) preparing to return to the army.