hery as was expected. Here I walked
long with Mr. Pierce, who tells me the King do still sup every night
with my Lady Castlemayne, who he believes has lately slunk a great belly
away, for from very big she is come to be down again. Thence to Mrs.
Pierce's, and with her and my wife to see Mrs. Clarke, where with him
and her very merry discoursing of the late play of Henry the 5th, which
they conclude the best that ever was made, but confess with me that
Tudor's being dismissed in the manner he is is a great blemish to the
play. I am mightily pleased with the Doctor, for he is the only man I
know that I could learn to pronounce by, which he do the best that ever
I heard any man. Thence home and to the office late, and so to supper
and to bed. My Lady Pen came hither first to-night to Sir W. Pen's
lodgings.

18th. Lay too long in bed, till 8 o'clock, then up and Mr. Reeve came
and brought an anchor and a very fair loadstone. He would have had me
bought it, and a good stone it is, but when he saw that I would not
buy it he said he [would] leave it for me to sell for him. By and by he
comes to tell me that he had present occasion for L6 to make up a sum,
and that he would pay me in a day or two, but I had the unusual wit to
deny him, and so by and by we parted, and I to the office, where busy
all the morning sitting. Dined alone at home, my wife going to-day to
dine with Mrs. Pierce, and thence with her and Mrs. Clerke to see a new
play, "The Court Secret." I busy all the afternoon, toward evening
to Westminster, and there in the Hall a while, and then to my barber,
willing to have any opportunity to speak to Jane, but wanted it. So to
Mrs. Pierces, who was come home, and she and Mrs. Clerke busy at cards,
so my wife being gone home, I home, calling by the way at the Wardrobe
and met Mr. Townsend, Mr. Moore and others at the Taverne thereby, and
thither I to them and spoke with Mr. Townsend about my boy's clothes,
which he says shall be soon done, and then I hope I shall be settled
when I have one in the house that is musicall. So home and to supper,
and then a little to my office, and then home to bed. My wife says the
play she saw is the worst that ever she saw in her life.

19th. Up and to the office, where Mr. Coventry and Sir W. Pen and I sat
all the morning hiring of ships to go to Guinny, where we believe the
warr with Holland will first break out. At noon dined at home, and after
dinner my wife and I to Sir W. Pen's