Around 1664 Peter Lely (age 45). Portrait of Margaret Brooke Lady Denham (age 24). One of the Windsor Beauties.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Jun 1666. He tells me further, how the Duke of Yorke (age 32) is wholly given up to his new mistresse, my Lady Denham (age 26), going at noon-day with all his gentlemen with him to visit her in Scotland Yard; she declaring she will not be his mistresse, as Mrs. Price (age 29), to go up and down the Privy-stairs, but will be owned publicly; and so she is. Mr. Bruncker (age 39), it seems, was the pimp to bring it about, and my Baroness Castlemaine's (age 25), who designs thereby to fortify herself by the Duke; there being a falling-out the other day between the King (age 36) and her: on this occasion, the Queene (age 56), in ordinary talke before the ladies in her drawing-room, did say to my Baroness Castlemaine's (age 25) that she feared the King (age 36) did take cold, by staying so late abroad at her house. She answered before them all, that he did not stay so late abroad with her, for he went betimes thence (though he do not before one, two, or three in the morning), but must stay somewhere else. The King (age 36) then coming in and overhearing, did whisper in the eare aside, and told her she was a bold impertinent woman, and bid her to be gone out of the Court, and not come again till he sent for, her; which she did presently, and went to a lodging in the Pell Mell [Map], and kept there two or three days, and then sent to the King (age 36) to know whether she might send for her things away out of her house. The King (age 36) sent to her, she must first come and view them: and so she come, and the King (age 36) went to her, and all friends again. He tells me she did, in her anger, say she would be even with the King (age 36), and print his letters to her. So putting all together, we are and are like to be in a sad condition. We are endeavouring to raise money by borrowing it of the City; but I do not think the City will lend a farthing.

Pepy's Diary. 26 Sep 1666. So home, not agreeing for silk for a petticoat for her which she desired, but home to dinner and then back to White Hall, leaving my wife by the way to buy her petticoat of Bennet, and I to White Hall waiting all day on the Duke of Yorke (age 32) to move the King (age 36) for getting Lanyon some money at Plymouth, Devon [Map] out of some oyle prizes brought in thither, but could get nothing done, but here Mr. Dugdale I hear the great loss of books in St. Paul's Church-yarde [Map], and at their Hall also, which they value about £150,000; some booksellers being wholly undone, among others, they say, my poor Kirton. And Mr. Crumlu all his books and household stuff burned; they trusting St. Fayth's [Map], and the roof of the church falling, broke the arch down into the lower church, and so all the goods burned. A very great loss. His father hath lost above £1000 in books; one book newly printed, a Discourse, it seems, of Courts. Here I had the hap to see my Lady Denham (age 26): and at night went into the dining-room and saw several fine ladies; among others, Castlemayne (age 25), but chiefly Denham (age 26) again; and the Duke of Yorke (age 32) taking her aside and talking to her in the sight of all the world, all alone; which was strange, and what also I did not like.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Oct 1666. Thence with Sir W. Coventry (age 38) when the House rose and Sir W. Batten (age 65) to St. James's, and there agreed of and signed our paper of extraordinaries, and there left them, and I to Unthanke's, where Mr. Falconbridge's girle is, and by and by comes my wife, who likes her well, though I confess I cannot (though she be of my finding out and sings pretty well), because she will be raised from so mean a condition to so high all of a sudden; but she will be much to our profit, more than Mercer, less expense. Here we bespoke anew gowne for her, and to come to us on Friday. She being gone, my wife and I home by coach, and then I presently by water with Mr. Pierce to Westminster Hall [Map], he in the way telling me how the Duke of York (age 32) and Duke of Albemarle (age 57) do not agree. The Duke of York (age 32) is wholly given up to this bitch (age 26) of [her husband] Denham (age 51). The Duke of Albemarle (age 57) and Prince Rupert (age 46) do less agree. So that we are all in pieces, and nobody knows what will be done the next year.

Pepy's Diary. 13 Oct 1666. It being done, he and I together to White Hall, and there the Duke of York (age 32) (who is gone over to all his pleasures again, and leaves off care of business, what with his woman, my Lady Denham (age 26), and his hunting three times a week) was just come in from hunting. So I stood and saw him dress himself, and try on his vest, which is the King's new fashion, and will be in it for good and all on Monday next, and the whole Court: it is a fashion, the King (age 36) says; he will never change.

Pepy's Diary. 15 Oct 1666. He tells me, what I wonder at, but that I find it confirmed by Mr. Pierce, whom I met by-and-by in the Hall, that Sir W. Coventry (age 38) is of the caball with the Duke of York (age 33), and Bruncker (age 46), with this Denham (age 26); which is a shame, and I am sorry for it, and that Sir W. Coventry (age 38) do make her visits; but yet I hope it is not so. Pierce tells me, that as little agreement as there is between the Prince (age 46) [Rupert] and Duke of Albemarle (age 57), yet they are likely to go to sea again; for the first will not be trusted alone, and nobody will go with him but this Duke of Albemarle (age 57).

Pepy's Diary. 15 Oct 1666. Thence he and I together to Westminster Hall [Map], in our way talking of matters and passages of state, the viciousness of the Court; the contempt the King (age 36) brings himself into thereby; his minding nothing, but doing all things just as his people about him will have it; the Duke of York (age 33) becoming a slave to this whore Denham (age 26), and wholly minds her; that there really was amours between the Duchesse (age 29) and Sidney (age 25); a that there is reason to fear that, as soon as the Parliament have raised this money, the King (age 36) will see that he hath got all that he can get, and then make up a peace.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Nov 1666. Then to supper and to bed. This is the fatal day that every body hath discoursed for a long time to be the day that the Papists, or I know not who, had designed to commit a massacre upon; but, however, I trust in God we shall rise to-morrow morning as well as ever. This afternoon Creed comes to me, and by him, as, also my Lady Pen (age 42), I hear that my Lady Denham (age 26) is exceeding sick, even to death, and that she says, and every body else discourses, that she is poysoned; and Creed tells me, that it is said that there hath been a design to poison the King (age 36). What the meaning of all these sad signs is, the Lord knows; but every day things look worse and worse. God fit us for the worst!

Pepy's Diary. 12 Nov 1666. That done I to the office; whither by and by comes Creed to me, and he and I walked in the garden a little, talking of the present ill condition of things, which is the common subject of all men's discourse and fears now-a-days, and particularly of my Lady Denham (age 26), whom everybody says is poisoned, and he tells me she hath said it to the Duke of York (age 33); but is upon the mending hand, though the town says she is dead this morning. He and I to the 'Change [Map]. There I had several little errands, and going to Sir R. Viner's (age 35), I did get such a splash and spots of dirt upon my new vest, that I was out of countenance to be seen in the street. This day I received 450 pieces of gold more of Mr. Stokes, but cost me 22 1/2d. change; but I am well contented with it,-I having now near £2800 in gold, and will not rest till I get full £3000, and then will venture my fortune for the saving that and the rest.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1666. They talked for certain, that now the King (age 36) do follow Mrs. Stewart (age 19) wholly, and my Baroness Castlemayne (age 26) not above once a week; that the Duke of York (age 33) do not haunt my Lady Denham (age 26) so much; that she troubles him with matters of State, being of my Lord Bristoll's (age 54) faction, and that he avoids; that she is ill still.

Pepy's Diary. 07 Jan 1667. At noon (my wife being gone to Westminster) I with my Lord Bruncker (age 47) by coach as far as the Temple [Map], in the way he telling me that my Lady Denham (deceased) is at last dead. Some suspect her poisoned, but it will be best known when her body is opened, which will be to-day, she dying yesterday morning. The Duke of York (age 33) is troubled for her; but hath declared he will never have another public mistress again; which I shall be glad of, and would the King (age 36) would do the like.

Pepy's Diary. 08 Jan 1667. So home and to supper, and then saw the catalogue of my books, which my brother had wrote out, now perfectly alphabeticall, and so to bed. Sir Richard Ford (age 53) did this evening at Sir W. Batten's (age 66) tell us that upon opening the body of my Lady Denham (deceased) it is said that they found a vessel about her matrix which had never been broke by her [her former husband] husband (age 52), that caused all pains in her body. Which if true is excellent invention to clear both the Duchesse (age 29) from poison or the Duke (age 33) from lying with her.

Grammont. Those who appeared the most attentive to their conduct, were not the least interested in it; Hamilton and Lord Chesterfield watched them narrowly; but Lady Denham, vexed that Lady Chesterfield should have stepped in before her, took the liberty of railing against her rival with the greatest bitterness. Hamilton had hitherto flattered himself, that vanity alone had engaged Lady Chesterfield in this adventure; but he was soon undeceived, whatever her indifference might have been when she first commenced this intrigue. We often proceed farther than we at first intended, when we indulge ourselves in trifling liberties, which we think of no consequence; for though perhaps the heart takes no part at the beginning, it seldom fails to be engaged in the end.