Lord Effingham and the Duke of Bedford were but untoward knights errant; and Lord Talbot had not much more dignity than the figure of General Monk in the Abbey.  The habit of the peers is unbecoming to the last degree; but the peeresses made amends for all defects.  Your daughter Richmond, Lady Kildare, and Lady Pembroke were as handsome as the Graces.  Lady Rochford, Lady Holdernesse, and Lady Lyttelton looked exceedingly well in that their day; and for those of the day before, the Duchess of Queensbury, Lady Westmoreland and Lady Albemarle were surprising.  Lady Harrington was noble at a distance, and so covered with diamonds, that you would have thought she had bid somebody or other, like Falstaff, rob me the Exchequer.  Lady Northampton was very magnificent too, and looked prettier than I have seen her of late.  Lady Spencer and Lady Bolingbroke were not the worst figures there.  The Duchess of Ancaster [Mistress of the Robes] marched alone after the Queen with much majesty; and there were two new Scotch peeresses that pleased everybody, Lady Sutherland and Lady Dunmore. Per contra, were Lady P——­, who had put a wig on, and old E——­, who had scratched hers off; Lady S——­, the Dowager E——­, and a Lady Say and Sele, with her tresses coal-black, and her hair coal-white.  Well! it was all delightful, but not half so charming as its being over.  The gabble one heard about it for six weeks before, and the fatigue of the day, could not well be compensated by a mere puppet-show; for puppet-show it was, though it cost a million.  The Queen is so gay that we shall not want sights; she has been at the Opera, the Beggar’s Opera and the Rehearsal, and two nights ago carried the King to Ranelagh.

Some of the peeresses were so fond of their robes, that they graciously exhibited themselves for a whole day before to all the company their servants could invite to see them.  A maid from Richmond begged leave to stay in town because the Duchess of Montrose was only to be seen from two to four.  The Heralds were so ignorant of their business, that, though pensioned for nothing but to register lords and ladies, and what belongs to them, they advertised in the newspaper for the Christian names and places of abode of the peeresses.  The King complained of such omissions and of the want of precedent; Lord Effingham, the Earl Marshal, told him, it was true there had been great neglect in that office, but he had now taken such care of registering directions, that next coronation would be conducted with the greatest order imaginable.  The King was so diverted with this flattering speech that he made the earl repeat it several times.