336 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book XIII. 



the end of September, as on the 20th of that month 

 Charles II ^^^ ^^"^ ^^ queen sojourning at Euston, 

 1676. and "pleased with her entertainment, the 

 September— Very fair weather contributing much to her 

 October. satisfaction." The king, seemingly, was play- 

 ing the truant, and nothing definite appears to be known 

 of his movements until October 2nd,'"" when Lord Ar- 

 lington, in a despatch to Williamson, mentioned that 

 his majesty was expected to arrive at Newmarket on 

 Wednesday, where he intended to wait upon him, " but 

 now," he adds, " I am too old a man, and cannot well 

 lye from home." He requests the "newspapers" to be 

 sent to him to Euston, after the king and Duke of 

 York had seen them, an arrangement that was duly 

 observed. In that respect he was more fortunate than 

 we have been ; no newspapers, except the Gazette, 

 of this date, being available for consultation. Writing 

 on the 7th, Secretary Coventry announces the arrival 

 of the king and the Duke of York.j His majesty 

 was in good health, but very indignant about the cir- 

 culation of false reports relating to the naval expe- 

 dition to Algiers. Three days later Sir Robert Carr 

 regrets to be deprived of Williamson's company, and 



* Lord Danby, writing from Wytham, Sept. 21, 1676, to Lord Conway, 

 says : " I go this night to Rycott and from thence on Monday to London 

 from whence for anything I yett know I shall attend his Ma"' to New- 

 market the 2d of October. I hope the divertion of that place may invite 

 you thither."— State Papers, Dom., May-Oct., 1676, No. 49. 



t Secretary Williamson writing from Whitehall, October 6, 1676, to 

 H. E. Sir William Temple, says, " His Ma'^ being gone to Newmarkett 

 for some time, and being attended by most of my Lords of y" Foreign 

 Committee, will be an occasion possibly of my running more in arrear 

 to you than otherwise I would doe, for this next fortnight w'*" you will 

 therefore please in y" case to forgive." — Harleian MS., 1523, fo. 132. 



