ife (but neither of them
at home), and she and I to the King's house, and saw "The Silent Woman;"
but methought not so well done or so good a play as I formerly thought
it to be, or else I am nowadays out of humour. Before the play was done,
it fell such a storm of hayle, that we in the middle of the pit were
fain to rise;

[The stage was covered in by a tiled roof, but the pit was open to
the sky. "The pit lay open to the weather for sake of light, but
was subsequently covered in with a glazed cupola, which, however,
only imperfectly protected the audience, so that in stormy weather
the house was thrown into disorder, and the people in the pit were
fain to rise" (Cunningham's "Story of Nell Gwyn," ed. 1893, p. 33).]

and all the house in a disorder, and so my wife and I out and got into a
little alehouse, and staid there an hour after the play was done before
we could get a coach, which at last we did (and by chance took up Joyce
Norton and Mrs. Bowles, and set them at home), and so home ourselves,
and I, after a little to my office, so home to supper and to bed.

2nd. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and then to
the 'Change, where after some stay by coach with Sir J. Minnes and Mr.
Coventry to St. James's, and there dined with Mr. Coventry very finely,
and so over the Parke to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier about
providing provisions, money, and men for Tangier. At it all the
afternoon, but it is strange to see how poorly and brokenly things are
done of the greatest consequence, and how soon the memory of this great
man is gone, or, at least, out of mind by the thoughts of who goes next,
which is not yet knowne. My Lord of Oxford, Muskerry, and several others
are discoursed of. It seems my Lord Tiviott's design was to go a mile
and half out of the towne, to cut down a wood in which the enemy did use
to lie in ambush. He had sent several spyes; but all brought word that
the way was clear, and so might be for any body's discovery of an enemy
before you are upon them. There they were all snapt, he and all his
officers, and about 200 men, as they say; there being left now in the
garrison but four captains. This happened the 3d of May last, being not
before that day twelvemonth of his entering into his government there:
but at his going out in the morning he said to some of his officers,
"Gentlemen, let us look to ourselves, for it was this day three years
that so m