apists," which did like me mightily, it being a thing
as well writ as I think most things that ever I read in my life, and
glad I am that I read it.

18th. Up, and to my bookbinder's, and there mightily pleased to see some
papers of the account we did give the Parliament of the expense of
the Navy sewed together, which I could not have conceived before how
prettily it was done. Then by coach to the Exchequer about some
tallies, and thence back again home, by the way meeting Mr. Weaver, of
Huntingdon, and did discourse our business of law together, which did
ease my mind, for I was afeard I have omitted doing what I in prudence
ought to have done. So home and to dinner, and after dinner to the
office, where je had Mrs. Burrows all sola a my closet, and did there
'baiser and toucher ses mamelles'.... Thence away, and with my wife by
coach to the Duke of York's play-house, expecting a new play, and so
stayed not no more than other people, but to the King's house, to "The
Mayd's Tragedy;" but vexed all the while with two talking ladies and
Sir Charles Sedley; yet pleased to hear their discourse, he being a
stranger. And one of the ladies would, and did sit with her mask on,
all the play, and, being exceeding witty as ever I heard woman, did talk
most pleasantly with him; but was, I believe, a virtuous woman, and of
quality. He would fain know who she was, but she would not tell; yet
did give him many pleasant hints of her knowledge of him, by that means
setting his brains at work to find, out who she was, and did give him
leave to use all means to find out who she was, but pulling off her
mask. He was mighty witty, and she also making sport with him very
inoffensively, that a more pleasant 'rencontre' I never heard. But by
that means lost the pleasure of the play wholly, to which now and then
Sir Charles Sedley's exceptions against both words and pronouncing were
very pretty. So home and to the office, did much business, then home, to
supper, and to bed.

19th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning doing little
business, our want of money being so infinite great. At noon home, and
there find old Mr. Michell and Howlett come to desire mine and my wife's
company to dinner to their son's, and so away by coach with them, it
being Betty's wedding-day a year, as also Shrove Tuesday. Here I made
myself mighty merry, the two old women being there also, and a mighty
pretty dinner we had in this little house, to my exceeding