of which he says he hath bought great quantities, and
would gladly be upon good terms with us for it, wherein I promise to
assist him. So we 'light at the 'Change, where, after a small turn or
two, taking no pleasure now-a-days to be there, because of answering
questions that would be asked there which I cannot answer; so home and
dined, and after dinner, with my wife and Mercer to the Beare-garden,

[The Bear Garden was situated on Bankside, close to the precinct of
the Clinke Liberty, and very near to the old palace of the bishops
of Winchester. Stow, to his "Survey," says: "There be two Bear
Gardens, the old and new Places." The name still exists in a street
or lane at the foot of Southwark Bridge, and in Bear Garden Wharf.]

where I have not been, I think, of many years, and saw some good sport
of the bull's tossing of the dogs: one into the very boxes. But it is
a very rude and nasty pleasure. We had a great many hectors in the same
box with us (and one very fine went into the pit, and played his dog for
a wager, which was a strange sport for a gentleman), where they drank
wine, and drank Mercer's health first, which I pledged with my hat off;
and who should be in the house but Mr. Pierce the surgeon, who saw us
and spoke to us. Thence home, well enough satisfied, however, with the
variety of this afternoon's exercise; and so I to my chamber, till in
the evening our company come to supper. We had invited to a venison
pasty Mr. Batelier and his sister Mary, Mrs. Mercer, her daughter Anne,
Mr. Le Brun, and W. Hewer; and so we supped, and very merry. And then
about nine o'clock to Mrs. Mercer's gate, where the fire and boys
expected us, and her son had provided abundance of serpents and rockets;
and there mighty merry (my Lady Pen and Pegg going thither with us, and
Nan Wright), till about twelve at night, flinging our fireworks,
and burning one another and the people over the way. And at last our
businesses being most spent, we into Mrs. Mercer's, and there mighty
merry, smutting one another with candle grease and soot, till most of
us were like devils. And that being done, then we broke up, and to my
house; and there I made them drink, and upstairs we went, and then fell
into dancing (W. Batelier dancing well), and dressing, him and I and one
Mr. Banister (who with his wife come over also with us) like women; and
Mercer put on a suit of Tom's, like a boy, and mighty mirth we had, and
Merce