t Sir Paul Neale's' business with my uncle
and other things all the morning. Dined with him at Mr. Crew's, and
after dinner I went to the Theatre, where I found so few people (which
is strange, and the reason I did not know) that I went out again, and so
to Salsbury Court, where the house as full as could be; and it seems
it was a new play, "The Queen's Maske," wherein there are some good
humours: among others, a good jeer to the old story of the Siege of
Troy, making it to be a common country tale. But above all it was
strange to see so little a boy as that was to act Cupid, which is one of
the greatest parts in it. Then home and to bed.

3rd (Lord's day): Mr. Woodcocke preached at our church a very good
sermon upon the imaginacions of the thoughts of man's heart being only
evil. So home, where being told that my Lord had sent for me I went, and
got there to dine with my Lord, who is to go into the country tomorrow.
I did give up the mortgage made to me by Sir R. Parkhurst for L2,000.
In the Abby all the afternoon. Then at Mr. Pierces the surgeon, where
Shepley and I supped. So to my Lord's, who comes in late and tells us
how news is come to-day of Mazarin's being dead, which is very great
news and of great consequence.--[This report of the death of Cardinal
Mazarin appears to have been premature, for he did not die until the
9th of March, 1661.]--I lay tonight with Mr. Shepley here, because of my
Lord's going to-morrow.

4th. My Lord went this morning on his journey to Hinchingbroke, Mr.
Parker with him; the chief business being to look over and determine
how, and in what manner, his great work of building shall be done.
Before his going he did give me some jewells to keep for him, viz., that
that the King of Sweden did give him, with the King's own picture in
it, most excellently done; and a brave George, all of diamonds, and
this with the greatest expressions of love and confidence that I could
imagine or hope for, which is a very great joy to me. To the office all
the forenoon. Then to dinner and so to Whitehall to Mr. Coventry about
several businesses, and then with Mr. Moore, who went with me to drink a
cup of ale, and after some good discourse then home and sat late talking
with Sir W. Batten. So home and to bed.

5th. With Mr. Pierce, purser, to Westminster Hall, and there met with
Captain Cuttance, Lieut. Lambert, and Pierce, surgeon, thinking to have
met with the Commissioners of Parliament, but they not si