e of my
eyes, which have never been well since last Sunday's reading at Sir W.
Coventry's chamber, and so after supper to bed.

22nd. Up, and betimes to White Hall; but there the Duke of York is gone
abroad a-hunting, and therefore after a little stay there I into London,
with Sir H. Cholmly, talking all the way of Tangier matters, wherein
I find him troubled from some reports lately from Norwood (who is his
great enemy and I doubt an ill man), of some decay of the Mole, and a
breach made therein by the sea to a great value. He set me down at the
end of Leadenhall Street, and so I home, and after dinner, with my wife,
in her morning-gown, and the two girls dressed, to Unthanke's, where
my wife dresses herself, having her gown this day laced, and a new
petticoat; and so is indeed very fine. And in the evening I do carry
them to White Hall, and there did without much trouble get into the
playhouse, there in a good place among the Ladies of Honour, and myself
also sat in the pit; and there by and by come the King and Queen, and
they begun "Bartholomew Fayre." But I like no play here so well as at
the common playhouse; besides that, my eyes being very ill since last
Sunday and this day se'nnight, with the light of the candles, I was in
mighty pain to defend myself now from the light of the candles. After
the play done, we met with W. Batelier and W. Hewer and Talbot Pepys,
and they follow us in a hackney-coach: and we all stopped at Hercules'
Pillars; and there I did give them the best supper I could, and pretty
merry; and so home between eleven and twelve at night, and so to bed,
mightily well pleased with this day's work.

23rd. Up: and to the Office, where all the morning, and then home, and
put a mouthfull of victuals in my mouth; and by a hackney-coach followed
my wife and the girls, who are gone by eleven o'clock, thinking to have
seen a new play at the Duke of York's house. But I do find them staying
at my tailor's, the play not being to-day, and therefore I now took them
to Westminster Abbey, and there did show them all the tombs very finely,
having one with us alone, there being other company this day to see
the tombs, it being Shrove Tuesday; and here we did see, by particular
favour, the body of Queen Katherine of Valois; and I had the upper part
of her body in my hands, and I did kiss her mouth, reflecting upon it
that I did kiss a Queen,

[Pepys's attachment to the fair sex extended even to a dead queen.