s full of people again. There I staid, and the house full
of people come to take leave of my Lord, who this day goes out of towne
upon his embassy towards Spayne. And I was glad to find Sir W. Coventry
to come, though I know it is only a piece of courtshipp. I had much
discourse with my Lord, he telling me how fully he leaves the King his
friend and the large discourse he had with him the other day, and how he
desired to have the business of the prizes examined before he went, and
that he yielded to it, and it is done as far as it concerns himself to
the full, and the Lords Commissioners for prizes did reprehend all the
informers in what related to his Lordship, which I am glad of in many
respects. But we could not make an end of discourse, so I promised to
waite upon [him] on Sunday at Cranborne, and took leave and away hence
to Mr. Hales's with Mr. Hill and two of the Houblons, who come thither
to speak with me, and saw my wife's picture, which pleases me well,
but Mr. Hill's picture never a whit so well as it did before it was
finished, which troubled me, and I begin to doubt the picture of my
Lady Peters my wife takes her posture from, and which is an excellent
picture, is not of his making, it is so master-like. I set them down at
the 'Change and I home to the office, and at noon dined at home and to
the office again. Anon comes Mrs. Knipp to see my wife, who is gone out,
so I fain to entertain her, and took her out by coach to look my wife at
Mrs. Pierce's and Unthanke's, but find her not. So back again, and then
my wife comes home, having been buying of things, and at home I spent
all the night talking with this baggage, and teaching her my song of
"Beauty retire," which she sings and makes go most rarely, and a very
fine song it seems to be. She also entertained me with repeating many
of her own and others' parts of the play-house, which she do most
excellently; and tells me the whole practices of the play-house and
players, and is in every respect most excellent company. So I supped,
and was merry at home all the evening, and the rather it being my
birthday, 33 years, for which God be praised that I am in so good a
condition of healthe and estate, and every thing else as I am, beyond
expectation, in all. So she to Mrs. Turner's to lie, and we to bed.
Mightily pleased to find myself in condition to have these people come
about me and to be able to entertain them, and have the pleasure of
their qualities, than whic