till the evening, and then with my wife and Jane over to
Half-way house, a very good walk; and there drank, and in the cool of
the evening back again, and sang with pleasure upon the water, and were
mightily pleased in hearing a boatfull of Spaniards sing, and so home to
supper and to bed. Jane of late mighty fine, by reason of a laced whiske
her mistress hath given her, which makes her a very gracefull servant.
But, above all, my wife and I were the most surprised in the beauty of a
plain girle, which we met in the little lane going from Redriffe-stairs
into the fields, one of the prettiest faces that we think we ever saw in
our lives.

8th. Up, and to my chamber, and by and by comes Greeting, and to my
flageolett with him with a pretty deal of pleasure, and then to the
office, where [Sir] W. Batten, [Sir] W. Pen and I met about putting
men to work for the weighing of the ships in the River sunk. Then home
again, and there heard Mr. Caesar play some very good things on the lute
together with myself on the violl and Greeting on the viallin. Then with
my wife abroad by coach, she to her tailor's, I to Westminster to Burges
about my Tangier business, and thence to White Hall, where I spoke with
Sir John Nicholas, who tells me that Mr. Coventry is come from Bredah,
as was expected; but, contrary to expectation, brings with him two or
three articles which do not please the King: as, to retrench the Act of
Navigation, and then to ascertain what are contraband goods; and
then that those exiled persons, who are or shall take refuge in their
country, may be secure from any further prosecution. Whether these will
be enough to break the peace upon, or no, he cannot tell; but I perceive
the certainty of peace is blown over. So called on my wife and met Creed
by the way, and they two and I to Charing Cross, there to see the great
boy and girle that are lately come out of Ireland, the latter eight, the
former but four years old, of most prodigious bigness for their age. I
tried to weigh them in my arms, and find them twice as heavy as people
almost twice their age; and yet I am apt to believe they are very young.
Their father a little sorry fellow, and their mother an old Irish
woman. They have had four children of this bigness, and four of ordinary
growth, whereof two of each are dead. If, as my Lord Ormond certifies,
it be true that they are no older, it is very monstrous. So home and to
dinner with my wife and to pipe, and then I