nsical play that was the cause of his ill usage. Mr. Howard did
give him some reply; to which Lacy [answered] him, that he was more a
fool than a poet; upon which Howard did give him a blow on the face with
his glove; on which Lacy, having a cane in his hand, did give him a blow
over the pate. Here Rolt and others that discoursed of it in the pit
this afternoon did wonder that Howard did not run him through, he being
too mean a fellow to fight with. But Howard did not do any thing but
complain to the King of it; so the whole house is silenced, and the
gentry seem to rejoice much at it, the house being become too insolent.
Here were many fine ladies this afternoon at this house as I have at any
time seen, and so after the play home and there wrote to my father, and
then to walk in the garden with my wife, resolving by the grace of God
to see no more plays till Whitsuntide, I having now seen a play every
day this week till I have neglected my business, and that I am ashamed
of, being found so much absent; the Duke of York and Sir W. Coventry
having been out of town at Portsmouth did the more embolden me thereto.
So home, and having brought home with me from Fenchurch Street a hundred
of sparrowgrass,--[A form once so commonly used for asparagus that
it has found its way into dictionaries.]--cost 18d. We had them and
a little bit of salmon, which my wife had a mind to, cost 3s. So to
supper, and my pain being somewhat better in my throat, we to bed.

21st (Lord's day). Up, and John, a hackney coachman whom of late I have
much used, as being formerly Sir W. Pen's coachman, coming to me by my
direction to see whether I would use him to-day or no, I took him to our
backgate to look upon the ground which is to be let there, where I have
a mind to buy enough to build a coach-house and stable; for I have had
it much in my thoughts lately that it is not too much for me now,
in degree or cost, to keep a coach, but contrarily, that I am almost
ashamed to be seen in a hackney, and therefore if I can have the
conveniency, I will secure the ground at least till peace comes, that I
do receive encouragement to keep a coach, or else that I may part with
the ground again. The place I like very well, being close to my owne
house, and so resolve to go about it, and so home and with my wife to
church, and then to dinner, Mercer with us, with design to go to Hackney
to church in the afternoon. So after dinner she and I sung "Suo Moro,"
which i