away my wife from his house, and so home and to read, and then to
supper and to bed, my head full in behalf of Balty, who tells me strange
stories of his mother. Among others, how she, in his absence in Ireland,
did pawne all the things that he had got in his service under Oliver, and
run of her own accord, without her husband's leave, into Flanders, and
that his purse, and 4s. a week which his father receives of the French
church, is all the subsistence his father and mother have, and that about
L20 a year maintains them; which, if it please God, I will find one way or
other to provide for them, to remove that scandal away.

30th. Up, and the French periwigg maker of whom I bought two yesterday
comes with them, and I am very well pleased with them. So to the office,
where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and thence with my wife's
knowledge and leave did by coach go see the silly play of my Lady
Newcastle's, called "The Humourous Lovers;" the most silly thing that
ever come upon a stage. I was sick to see it, but yet would not but have
seen it, that I might the better understand her. Here I spied Knipp and
Betty, of the King's house, and sent Knipp oranges, but, having little
money about me, did not offer to carry them abroad, which otherwise I had,
I fear, been tempted to. So with [Sir] W. Pen home (he being at the play
also), a most summer evening, and to my office, where, among other things,
a most extraordinary letter to the Duke of York touching the want of money
and the sad state of the King's service thereby, and so to supper and to
bed.

31st (Lord's day). Up, and my tailor's boy brings my mourning clothes
home, and my wife hers and Barker's, but they go not to church this
morning. I to church, and with my mourning, very handsome, and new
periwigg, make a great shew. After church home to dinner, and there come
Betty Michell and her husband. I do and shall love her, but, poor wretch,
she is now almost ready to lie down. After dinner Balty (who dined also
with us) and I with Sir J. Minnes in his coach to White Hall, but did
nothing, but by water to Strand Bridge and thence walked to my Lord
Treasurer's, where the King, Duke of York, and the Caball, and much
company without; and a fine day. Anon come out from the Caball my Lord
Hollis and Mr. H. Coventry, who, it is conceived, have received their
instructions from the King this day; they being to begin their journey
towards their treaty at Bre