ncers
were, some of cloth of silver, and others of other sorts, exceeding
rich. Presently after the King was come in, he took the Queene, and
about fourteen more couple there was, and began the Bransles. As many
of the men as I can remember presently, were, the King, Duke of York,
Prince Rupert, Duke of Monmouth, Duke of Buckingham, Lord Douglas,' Mr.
[George] Hamilton, Colonell Russell, Mr. Griffith, Lord Ossory, Lord
Rochester; and of the ladies, the Queene, Duchess of York, Mrs.
Stewart, Duchess of Monmouth, Lady Essex Howard, Mrs. Temples Swedes
Embassadress, Lady Arlington; Lord George Barkeley's daughter, and
many others I remember not; but all most excellently dressed in rich
petticoats and gowns, and dyamonds, and pearls. After the Bransles, then
to a Corant, and now and then a French dance; but that so rare that the
Corants grew tiresome, that I wished it done. Only Mrs. Stewart danced
mighty finely, and many French dances, specially one the King called
the New Dance, which was very pretty; but upon the whole matter, the
business of the dancing of itself was not extraordinary pleasing. But
the clothes and sight of the persons was indeed very pleasing, and worth
my coming, being never likely to see more gallantry while I live, if I
should come twenty times. About twelve at night it broke up, and I to
hire a coach with much difficulty, but Pierce had hired a chair for my
wife, and so she being gone to his house, he and I, taking up Barker at
Unthanke's, to his house, whither his wife was come home a good while
ago and gone to bed. So away home with my wife, between displeased with
the dull dancing, and satisfied at the clothes and persons. My Lady
Castlemayne, without whom all is nothing, being there, very rich, though
not dancing. And so after supper, it being very cold, to bed.

16th. Up again betimes to attend the examination of Mr. Gawden's,
accounts, where we all met, but I did little but fit myself for the
drawing my great letter to the Duke of York of the state of the Navy
for want of money. At noon to the 'Change, and thence back to the new
taverne come by us; the Three Tuns, where D. Gawden did feast us all
with a chine of beef and other good things, and an infinite dish of
fowl, but all spoiled in the dressing. This noon I met with Mr. Hooke,
and he tells me the dog which was filled with another dog's blood, at
the College the other day, is very well, and like to be so as ever, and
doubts not its being