the period "when the queen was given over by her physicians." Editors hitherto have only helped us to the latter of the two events; but the former is of far more importance. A masquerade at cornet was too great an occurrence to escape either Evelyn or Pepys.
"2 Feb. 1664-5.—I saw a masq perform'd at Court by 6 gentlemen and 6 ladies, surprising his Maty, it being Candlemas-day."—Evelyn.
"3 Feb. 1664-5.—Mrs. Pickering did at my Lady Sandwich's command tell me the manner of a masquerade before the king and court the other day. Where six women (my Lady Castlemaine and Duchess of Monmouth being two of them), and six men (the Duke of Monmouth, and Lord Avon, and Monsieur Blanfort, being three of them) in vizards, but most rich and antique dresses, did dance admirably and most gloriously."—Pepys.
The queen was given over by the physicians in October 1663, when she was so ill that her head was shaved, and pigeons put to her feet.
The events in Chapter VIII., to which in this investigation it is necessary to allude, are, first, the audience of the Muscovite ambassadors; second, the period when Lady Chesterfield was packed from Whitehall to Bretby in Derbyshire; third, the period when Margaret Brook was married to Sir John Denham. "The Earl of Chesterfield was informed," says Hamilton, "that he was to attend the Queen at an audience she gave to seven or eight
