my wife
to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "The Witts," a medley of
things, but some similes mighty good, though ill mixed; and thence with
my wife to the Exchange and bought some things, and so home, after I had
been at White Hall, and there in the Queen's withdrawing-room invited
my Lord Peterborough to dine with me, with my Lord Sandwich, who readily
accepted it. Thence back and took up my wife at the 'Change, and so
home. This day at noon I went with my young gentlemen (thereby to get a
little time while W. Hewer went home to bid them get a dinner ready)
to the Pope's Head tavern, there to see the fine painted room which
Rogerson told me of, of his doing; but I do not like it at all, though
it be good for such a publick room.

19th. Up, and at the office all the morning. At noon eat a mouthful, and
so with my wife to Madam Turner's, and find her gone, but The. staid for
us; and so to the King's house, to see "Horace;" this the third day
of its acting--a silly tragedy; but Lacy hath made a farce of several
dances--between each act, one: but his words are but silly, and
invention not extraordinary, as to the dances; only some Dutchmen come
out of the mouth and tail of a Hamburgh sow. Thence, not much pleased
with the play, set them at home in the Strand; and my wife and I home,
and there to do a little business at the Office, and so home to supper
and to bed.

20th. Up; and my wife, and I, and W. Hewer to White Hall, where she set
us down; and there I spoke with my Lord Peterborough, to tell him of the
day for his dining with me being altered by my Lord Sandwich from Friday
to Saturday next. And thence heard at the Council-board the City, by
their single counsel Symson, and the company of Strangers Merchants, a
debate the business of water-baylage; a tax demanded upon all goods,
by the City, imported and exported: which these Merchants oppose,
and demanding leave to try the justice of the City's demand by a Quo
Warranto, which the City opposed, the Merchants did quite lay the City
on their backs with great triumph, the City's cause being apparently too
weak: but here I observed Mr. Gold, the merchant, to speak very well,
and very sharply, against the City. Thence to my wife at Unthanke's, and
with her and W. Hewer to Hercules Pillars, calling to do two or three
things by the way, end there dined, and thence to the Duke of York's
house, and saw "Twelfth Night," as it is now revived; but, I think,
one of