ith me, which I do at first that she may not expect
it hereafter from me. After dinner I to Westminster by water, and there
found my brother Spicer at the Leg with all the rest of the Exchequer
men (most of whom I now do not know) at dinner. Here I staid and
drank with them, and then to Mr. George Montagu about the business of
election, and he did give me a piece in gold; so to my Lord's and got
the chest of plate brought to the Exchequer, and my brother Spicer put
it into his treasury. So to Will's with them to a pot of ale, and so
parted. I took a turn in the Hall, and bought the King and Chancellor's
speeches at the dissolving the Parliament last Saturday. So to my
Lord's, and took my money I brought 'thither last night and the silver
candlesticks, and by coach left the latter at Alderman Backwell's, I
having no use for them, and the former home. There stood a man at our
door, when I carried it in, and saw me, which made me a little afeard.
Up to my chamber and wrote letters to Huntingdon and did other business.
This day I lent Sir W. Batten and Captn. Rider my chine of beef for to
serve at dinner tomorrow at Trinity House, the Duke of Albemarle being
to be there and all the rest of the Brethren, it being a great day for
the reading over of their new Charter, which the King hath newly given
them.

3d. Early in the morning to the Exchequer, where I told over what money
I had of my Lord's and my own there, which I found to be L970. Thence to
Will's, where Spicer and I eat our dinner of a roasted leg of pork
which Will did give us, and after that to the Theatre, where was acted
"Beggars' Bush," it being very well done; and here the first time that
ever I saw women come upon the stage.

[Downes does not give the cast of this play. After the Restoration
the acting of female characters by women became common. The first
English professional actress was Mrs. Coleman, who acted Ianthe in
Davenant's "Siege of Rhodes," at Rutland House in 1656.]

From thence to my father's, where I found my mother gone by Bird, the
carrier, to Brampton, upon my uncle's great desire, my aunt being now in
despair of life. So home.

4th. Office all the morning, my wife and Pall being gone to my father's
to dress dinner for Mr. Honiwood, my mother being gone out of town.
Dined at home, and Mr. Moore with me, with whom I had been early this
morning at White Hall, at the Jewell Office,

[Several of the Jewel Office rol