one, I with my clerks and another of Lord
Brouncker's, Seddon, sat up till two in the morning, drawing up my
answers and writing them fair, which did trouble me mightily to sit up
so long, because of my eyes.
5th. So to bed about two o'clock, and then up about seven and to White
Hall, where read over my report to Lord Arlington and Berkeley, and then
afterward at the Council Board with great good liking, but, Lord! how it
troubled my eyes, though I did not think I could have done it, but did
do it, and was not very bad afterward. So home to dinner, and thence out
to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "The Guardian;" formerly
the same, I find, that was called "Cutter of Coleman Street;" a silly
play. And thence to Westminster Hall, where I met Fitzgerald; and with
him to a tavern, to consider of the instructions for Sir Thomas Allen,
against his going to Algiers; he and I being designed to go down to
Portsmouth by the Council's order, and by and by he and I went to the
Duke of York, who orders me to go down to-morrow morning. So I away
home, and there bespeak a coach; and so home and to bed, my wife being
abroad with the Mercers walking in the fields, and upon the water.
6th. Waked betimes, and my wife, at an hour's warning, is resolved to
go with me, which pleases me, her readiness. But, before ready, comes a
letter from Fitzgerald, that he is seized upon last night by an order
of the General's by a file of musqueteers, and kept prisoner in his
chamber. The Duke of York did tell me of it to-day: it is about a
quarrel between him and Witham, and they fear a challenge: so I to him,
and sent my wife by the coach round to Lambeth. I lost my labour going
to his lodgings, and he in bed: and, staying a great while for him, I at
last grew impatient, and would stay no longer; but to St. James's to Mr.
Wren, to bid him "God be with you!" and so over the water to Fox Hall;
and there my wife and Deb. come and took me up, and we away to Gilford,
losing our way for three or four mile, about Cobham. At Gilford we
dined; and, I shewed them the hospitall there of Bishop Abbot's, and
his tomb in the church, which, and the rest of the tombs there, are kept
mighty clean and neat, with curtains before them. So to coach again, and
got to Lippock,2 late over Hindhead, having an old man, a guide, in the
coach with us; but got thither with great fear of being out of our way,
it being ten at night. Here good, honest people; and after
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