lutter, that do things so meanly. I was sick to see it,
but was merry at some ridiculous humours of my Lady Batten, who, as being
an ill-bred woman, would take exceptions at anything any body said, and I
made good sport at it. After dinner into the garden and wilderness, which
is like the rest of the house, nothing in order, nor looked after. By and
by comes newes that my Lady Viner was come to see Mrs. Lowther, which I
was glad of, and all the pleasure I had here was to see her, which I did,
and saluted her, and find she is pretty, though not so eminently so as
people talked of her, and of very pretty carriage and discourse. I sat
with them and her an hour talking and pleasant, and then slunk away alone
without taking leave, leaving my wife there to come home with them, and I
to Bartholomew fayre, to walk up and down; and there, among other things,
find my Lady Castlemayne at a puppet-play, "Patient Grizill,"

[The well-known story, first told by Boccaccio, then by Petrarca,
afterwards by Chaucer, and which has since become proverbial. Tom
Warton, writing about 1770, says, "I need not mention that it is to
this day represented in England, on a stage of the lowest species,
and of the highest antiquity: I mean at a puppet show" ("Hist. of
English Poetry," sect. xv.).--B.]

and the street full of people expecting her coming out. I confess I did
wonder at her courage to come abroad, thinking the people would abuse her;
but they, silly people! do not know her work she makes, and therefore
suffered her with great respect to take coach, and she away, without any
trouble at all, which I wondered at, I confess. I only walked up and
down, and, among others, saw Tom Pepys, the turner, who hath a shop, and I
think lives in the fair when the fair is not. I only asked how he did as
he stood in the street, and so up and down sauntering till late and then
home, and there discoursed with my wife of our bad entertainment to-day,
and so to bed. I met Captain Cocke to-day at the Council Chamber and took
him with me to Westminster, who tells me that there is yet expectation
that the Chancellor will lose the Seal, and that he is sure that the King
hath said it to him who told it him, and he fears we shall be soon broke
in pieces, and assures me that there have been high words between the Duke
of York and Sir W. Coventry, for his being so high against the Chancellor;
so as the Duke of York would not sign