Luellin and I to my Lord's, and
there dined. He told me one of the prettiest stories, how Mr. Blurton,
his friend that was with him at my house three or four days ago, did go
with him the same day from my house to the Fleet tavern by Guildhall,
and there (by some pretence) got the mistress of the house into their
company, and by and by Luellin calling him Doctor she thought that he
really was so, and did privately discover her disease to him, which was
only some ordinary infirmity belonging to women, and he proffering her
physic, she desired him to come some day and bring it, which he did.
After dinner by water to the office, and there Sir W. Pen and I met and
did business all the afternoon, and then I got him to my house and eat a
lobster together, and so to bed.

26th (Shrove Tuesday). I left my wife in bed, being indisposed... I to
Mrs. Turner's, who I found busy with The. and Joyce making of things
ready for fritters, so to Mr. Crew's and there delivered Cotgrave's
Dictionary' to my Lady Jemimah, and then with Mr. Moore to my coz Tom
Pepys, but he being out of town I spoke with his lady, though not of the
business I went about, which was to borrow L1000 for my Lord. Back
to Mrs. Turner's, where several friends, all strangers to me but Mr.
Armiger, dined. Very merry and the best fritters that ever I eat in my
life. After that looked out at window; saw the flinging at cocks.

[The cruel custom of throwing at cocks on Shrove Tuesday is of
considerable antiquity. It is shown in the first print of Hogarth's
"Four Stages of Cruelty."]

Then Mrs. The. and I, and a gentleman that dined there and his daughter,
a perfect handsome young and very tall lady that lately came out of the
country, and Mr. Thatcher the Virginall Maister to Bishopsgate Street,
and there saw the new Harpsicon made for Mrs. The. We offered L12, they
demanded L14. The Master not being at home, we could make no bargain,
so parted for to-night. So all by coach to my house, where I found my
Valentine with my wife, and here they drank, and then went away. Then I
sat and talked with my Valentine and my wife a good while, and then saw
her home, and went to Sir W. Batten to the Dolphin, where Mr. Newborne,
&c., were, and there after a quart or two of wine, we home, and I to
bed....

27th. At the office all the morning, that done I walked in the
garden with little Captain Murford, where he and I had some discourse
concerning the Light-House