oor wretch! sat
undressed all day, till ten at night, altering and lacing of a noble
petticoat: while I by her, making the boy read to me the Life of Julius
Caesar, and Des Cartes' book of Musick

["Musicae Compendium." By Rene Des Cartes, Amsterdam, 1617;
rendered into English, London, 1653, 4to. The translator, whose
name did not appear on the title, was William, Viscount Brouncker,
Pepys's colleague, who proved his knowledge of music by the
performance.]

--the latter of which I understand not, nor think he did well that writ
it, though a most learned man. Then, after supper, I made the boy play
upon his lute, which I have not done twice before since he come to me; and
so, my mind in mighty content, we to bed.

26th. Lay long with pleasure, prating with my wife, and then up, and I a
little to the Office, and my head busy setting some papers and accounts to
rights, which being long neglected because of my eyes will take me up much
time and care to do, but it must be done. So home at noon to dinner, and
then abroad with my wife to a play, at the Duke of York's house, the house
full of ordinary citizens. The play was "Women Pleased," which we had
never seen before; and, though but indifferent, yet there is a good design
for a good play. So home, and there to talk, and my wife to read to me,
and so to bed.

27th (Lord's day). Walked to White Hall and there saw the King at chapel;
but staid not to hear anything, but went to walk in the Park, with W.
Hewer, who was with me; and there, among others, met with Sir G. Downing,
and walked with him an hour, talking of business, and how the late war was
managed, there being nobody to take care of it, and telling how, when he
was in Holland, what he offered the King to do, if he might have power,
and they would give him power, and then, upon the least word, perhaps of a
woman, to the King, he was contradicted again, and particularly to the
loss of all that we lost in Guinny. He told me that he had so good spies,
that he hath had the keys taken out of De Witt's

[The celebrated John de Witt, Grand Pensionary of Holland, who,
a few years afterwards, was massacred, with his brother Cornelius,
by the Dutch mob, enraged at their opposition to the elevation of
William of Orange to the Stadtholdership, when the States were
overrun by the French army, and the Dutch fleets beaten at sea by
the English. The murder of the