, and took her and
her cozen Corbet, Knepp and little James, and brought them to the Duke's
house; and, the house being full, was forced to carry them to a box,
which did cost me 20s., besides oranges, which troubled me, though their
company did please me. Thence, after the play, stayed till Harris was
undressed, there being acted "The Tempest," and so he withall, all by
coach, home, where we find my house with good fires and candles
ready, and our Office the like, and the two Mercers, and Betty Turner,
Pendleton, and W. Batelier. And so with much pleasure we into the house,
and there fell to dancing, having extraordinary Musick, two viollins,
and a base viollin, and theorbo, four hands, the Duke of Buckingham's
musique, the best in towne, sent me by Greeting, and there we set in to
dancing. By and by to my house, to a very good supper, and mighty merry,
and good musick playing; and after supper to dancing and singing till
about twelve at night; and then we had a good sack posset for them, and
an excellent cake, cost me near 20s., of our Jane's making, which was
cut into twenty pieces, there being by this time so many of our company,
by the coming in of young Goodyer and some others of our neighbours,
young men that could dance, hearing of our dancing; and anon comes in
Mrs. Turner, the mother, and brings with her Mrs. Hollworthy, which
pleased me mightily. And so to dancing again, and singing, with
extraordinary great pleasure, till about two in the morning, and then
broke up; and Mrs. Pierce and her family, and Harris and Knepp by
coach home, as late as it was. And they gone, I took Mrs. Turner and
Hollworthy home to my house, and there gave wine and sweetmeats; but I
find Mrs. Hollworthy but a mean woman, I think, for understanding, only
a little conceited, and proud, and talking, but nothing extraordinary in
person, or discourse, or understanding. However, I was mightily pleased
with her being there, I having long longed for to know her, and they
being gone, I paid the fiddlers L3 among the four, and so away to bed,
weary and mightily pleased, and have the happiness to reflect upon it
as I do sometimes on other things, as going to a play or the like, to be
the greatest real comfort that I am to expect in the world, and that
it is that that we do really labour in the hopes of; and so I do really
enjoy myself, and understand that if I do not do it now I shall not
hereafter, it may be, be able to pay for it, or have heal