ich was done by as plain negligence
as ever ship was. We being rose, I entering my letters and getting the
office swept and a good fire made and abundance of candles lighted, I
home, where most of my company come of this end of the town-Mercer and
her sister, Mr. Batelier and Pembleton (my Lady Pen, and Pegg, and Mr.
Lowther, but did not stay long, and I believe it was by Sir W. Pen's
order; for they had a great mind to have staid), and also Captain Rolt.
And, anon, at about seven or eight o'clock, comes Mr. Harris, of the
Duke's playhouse, and brings Mrs. Pierce with him, and also one dressed
like a country-mayde with a straw hat on; which, at first, I could not
tell who it was, though I expected Knipp: but it was she coming off the
stage just as she acted this day in "The Goblins;" a merry jade. Now my
house is full, and four fiddlers that play well. Harris I first took to
my closet; and I find him a very curious and understanding person in
all pictures and other things, and a man of fine conversation; and so is
Rolt. So away with all my company down to the office, and there fell
to dancing, and continued at it an hour or two, there coming Mrs. Anne
Jones, a merchant's daughter hard by, who dances well, and all in mighty
good humour, and danced with great pleasure; and then sung and then
danced, and then sung many things of three voices--both Harris and Rolt
singing their parts excellently. Among other things, Harris sung his
Irish song--the strangest in itself, and the prettiest sung by him, that
ever I heard. Then to supper in the office, a cold, good supper, and
wondrous merry. Here was Mrs. Turner also, but the poor woman sad
about her lodgings, and Mrs. Markham: after supper to dancing again and
singing, and so continued till almost three in the morning, and then,
with extraordinary pleasure, broke up only towards morning, Knipp fell
a little ill, and so my wife home with her to put her to bed, and we
continued dancing and singing; and, among other things, our Mercer
unexpectedly did happen to sing an Italian song I know not, of which
they two sung the other two parts to, that did almost ravish me, and
made me in love with her more than ever with her singing. As late as it
was, yet Rolt and Harris would go home to-night, and walked it, though
I had a bed for them; and it proved dark, and a misly night, and very
windy. The company being all gone to their homes, I up with Mrs. Pierce
to Knipp, who was in bed; and we