which I like mighty
well, and there had the pleasure to see how suddenly he draws the
Heavens, laying a darke ground and then lightening it when and where he
will. Thence to walk all alone in the fields behind Grayes Inne, making
an end of reading over my dear "Faber fortunae," of my Lord Bacon's, and
thence, it growing dark, took two or three wanton turns about the idle
places and lanes about Drury Lane, but to no satisfaction, but a great
fear of the plague among them, and so anon I walked by invitation to
Mrs. Pierces, where I find much good company, that is to say, Mrs.
Pierce, my wife, Mrs. Worshipp and her daughter, and Harris the player,
and Knipp, and Mercer, and Mrs. Barbary Sheldon, who is come this day
to spend a weeke with my wife; and here with musique we danced, and sung
and supped, and then to sing and dance till past one in the morning; and
much mirthe with Sir Anthony Apsley and one Colonell Sidney, who lodge
in the house; and above all, they are mightily taken with Mrs. Knipp.
Hence weary and sleepy we broke up, and I and my company homeward by
coach and to bed.

15th. Lay till it was full time to rise, it being eight o'clock, and
so to the office and there sat till almost three o'clock and then to
dinner, and after dinner (my wife and Mercer and Mrs. Barbary being gone
to Hales's before), I and my cozen Anthony Joyce, who come on purpose to
dinner with me, and he and I to discourse of our proposition of marriage
between Pall and Harman, and upon discourse he and I to Harman's house
and took him to a taverne hard by, and we to discourse of our business,
and I offered L500, and he declares most ingenuously that his trade is
not to be trusted on, that he however needs no money, but would have
her money bestowed on her, which I like well, he saying that he would
adventure 2 or L300 with her. I like him as a most good-natured, and
discreet man, and, I believe, very cunning. We come to this conclusion
for us to meete one another the next weeke, and then we hope to come to
some end, for I did declare myself well satisfied with the match. Thence
to Hales's, where I met my wife and people; and do find the picture,
above all things, a most pretty picture, and mighty like my wife; and
I asked him his price: he says L14, and the truth is, I think he do
deserve it. Thence toward London and home, and I to the office, where
I did much, and betimes to bed, having had of late so little sleep, and
there slept

16th.