d cares, and after dinner by coach to
Westminster Hall, and sent my wife and Deb. to see "Mustapha"
acted. Here I brought a book to the Committee, and do find them; and
particularly Sir Thomas Clarges, mighty hot in the business of tickets,
which makes me mad to see them bite at the stone, and not at the hand
that flings it, and here my Lord Brouncker unnecessarily orders it that
he is called in to give opportunity to present his report of the state
of the business of paying by ticket, which I do not think will do him
any right, though he was made believe that it did operate mightily, and
that Sir Fresh. Hollis did make a mighty harangue and to much purpose in
his defence, but I believe no such effects of it, for going in afterward
I did hear them speak with prejudice of it, and that his pleading of the
Admiral's warrant for it now was only an evasion, if not an aspersion
upon the Admirall, and therefore they would not admit of this his
report, but go on with their report as they had resolved before. The
orders they sent for this day was the first order that I have yet met
with about this business, and was of my own single hand warranting,
but I do think it will do me no harm, and therefore do not much trouble
myself with it, more than to see how much trouble I am brought to who
have best deported myself in all the King's business. Thence with Lord
Brouncker, and set him down at Bow Streete, and so to the Duke of York's
playhouse, and there saw the last act for nothing, where I never saw
such good acting of any creature as Smith's part of Zanger; and I do
also, though it was excellently acted by---------, do yet want Betterton
mightily. Thence to the Temple, to Porter's chamber, where Cocke met me,
and after a stay there some time, they two and I to Pemberton's chamber,
and there did read over the Act of calling people to account, and did
discourse all our business of the prizes; and, upon the whole, he
do make it plainly appear, that there is no avoiding to give these
Commissioners satisfaction in everything they will ask; and that
there is fear lest they may find reason to make us refund for all the
extraordinary profit made by those bargains; and do make me resolve
rather to declare plainly, and, once for all, the truth of the whole,
and what my profit hath been, than be forced at last to do it, and in
the meantime live in gain, as I must always do: and with this resolution
on my part I departed, with some more satisfa