re 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 again, and I think I shall appear in the
business, he promising me that if I can bring it about, it will be worth
L100 per annum. Then came into the garden to me young Mr. Powell and Mr.
Hooke that I once knew at Cambridge, and I took them in and gave them a
bottle of wine, and so parted. Then I called for a dish of fish, which
we had for dinner, this being the first day of Lent; and I do intend to
try whether I can keep it or no. My father dined with me and did show
me a letter from my brother John, wherein he tells us that he is chosen
Schollar of the house,' which do please me much, because I do perceive
now it must chiefly come from his merit and not the power of his Tutor,
Dr. Widdrington, who is now quite out of interest there and hath put
over his pupils to Mr. Pepper, a young Fellow of the College. With my
father to Mr. Rawlinson's, where we met my uncle Wight, and after a
pint or two away. I walked with my father (who gave me an account of the
great falling out between my uncle Fenner and his son Will) as far
as Paul's Churchyard, and so left him, and I home. This day the
Commissioners of Parliament begin to pay off the Fleet, beginning with
the Hampshire, and do it at Guildhall, for fear o