remark that the fair sex may justly complain of almost every word in
the English language designating a woman having, at some time or
another, been used as a term of reproach; for we find Mother, Madam,
Mistress, and Miss, all denoting women of bad character; and here
Pepys adds the title of my Lady to the number, and completes the
ungracious catalogue.--B.]
and her ladies; and their there dancing naked, and all the roguish things
in the world. But, Lord! what loose cursed company was this, that I was
in to-night, though full of wit; and worth a man's being in for once, to
know the nature of it, and their manner of talk, and lives. Thence set
Rolt and some of [them] at the New Exchange, and so I home, and my
business being done at the office, I to bed.
31st (Lord's day). Up, and to church in the morning. At noon I sent for
Mr. Mills and his wife and daughter to dine, and they dined with me, and
W. Hewer, and very good company, I being in good humour. They gone to
church, comes Mr. Tempest, and he and I sang a psalm or two, and so
parted, and I by water to the New Exchange, and there to Mrs. Pierces,
where Knepp, and she, and W. Howe, and Mr. Pierce, and little Betty, over
to Fox Hall, and there walked and supped with great pleasure. Here was
Mrs. Manuel also, and mighty good company, and good mirth in making W.
Howe spend his six or seven shillings, and so they called him altogether
"Cully." So back, and at Somerset-stairs do understand that a boy is
newly drowned, washing himself there, and they cannot find his body. So
seeing them home, I home by water, W. Howe going with me, and after some
talk he lay at my house, and all to bed. Here I hear that Mrs. Davis is
quite gone from the Duke of York's house, and Gosnell comes in her room,
which I am glad of. At the play at Court the other night, Mrs. Davis was
there; and when she was to come to dance her jigg, the Queene would not
stay to see it, which people do think it was out of displeasure at her
being the King's whore, that she could not bear it. My Lady Castlemayne
is, it seems, now mightily out of request, the King coming little to her,
and thus she mighty melancholy and discontented.
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