rought to bed at her sister's lodging, and gives it out
that she is married, but there is no such thing certainly, she never
mentioning it before, but I have cause to rejoice that I have not seen
her a great while, she having several times desired my company, but I
doubt to an evil end. Thence to the Exchequer, where W. Hewer come to
me, and after a little business did go by water home, and there dined,
and took my wife by a hackney to the King's playhouse, and saw "The
Coxcomb," the first time acted, but an old play, and a silly one, being
acted only by the young people. Here met cozen Turner and The. So parted
there from them, and home by coach and to my letters at the office,
where pretty late, and so to supper and to bed.
18th. Up, and to see Sir W. Coventry, and walked with him a good while
in the Stone Walk: and brave discourse about my Lord Chancellor, and his
ill managements and mistakes, and several things of the Navy, and thence
to the office, where we sat all the morning, and so home to dinner,
where my wife mighty finely dressed, by a maid that she hath taken, and
is to come to her when Jane goes; and the same she the other day told me
of, to be so handsome. I therefore longed to see her, but did not till
after dinner, that my wife and I going by coach, she went with us to
Holborne, where we set her down. She is a mighty proper maid, and pretty
comely, but so so; but hath a most pleasing tone of voice, and speaks
handsomely, but hath most great hands, and I believe ugly; but very well
dressed, and good clothes, and the maid I believe will please me well
enough. Thence to visit Ned Pickering and his lady, and Creed and his
wife, but the former abroad, and the latter out of town, gone to my
Lady Pickering's in Northamptonshire, upon occasion of the late death of
their brother, Oliver Pickering, a youth, that is dead of the smallpox.
So my wife and I to Dancre's to see the pictures; and thence to Hyde
Park, the first time we were there this year, or ever in our own coach,
where with mighty pride rode up and down, and many coaches there; and I
thought our horses and coach as pretty as any there, and observed so
to be by others. Here staid till night, and so home, and to the office,
where busy late, and so home to supper and to bed, with great content,
but much business in my head of the office, which troubles me.
19th. Up, and by water to White Hall, there to the Lords of the
Treasury, and did some business, a
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