th to take
pleasure in it, and so fill myself with vain expectation of pleasure and
go without it.

7th. Up, weary, about 9 o'clock, and then out by coach to White Hall to
attend the Lords of the Treasury about Tangier with Sir Stephen Fox,
and having done with them I away back again home by coach time enough
to dispatch some business, and after dinner with Sir W. Pen's coach (he
being gone before with Sir D. Gawden) to White Hall to wait on the Duke
of York, but I finding him not there, nor the Duke of York within, I
away by coach to the Nursery, where I never was yet, and there to meet
my wife and Mercer and Willet as they promised; but the house did not
act to-day; and so I was at a loss for them, and therefore to the other
two playhouses into the pit, to gaze up and down, to look for them,
and there did by this means, for nothing, see an act in "The Schoole of
Compliments" at the Duke of York's house, and "Henry the Fourth" at the
King's house; but, not finding them, nor liking either of the plays, I
took my coach again, and home, and there to my office to do business,
and by and by they come home, and had been at the King's House, and
saw me, but I could [not] see them, and there I walked with them in the
garden awhile, and to sing with Mercer there a little, and so home with
her, and taught her a little of my "It is decreed," which I have a mind
to have her learn to sing, and she will do it well, and so after supper
she went away, and we to bed, and there made amends by sleep for what I
wanted last night.

8th. Up, and it being dirty, I by coach (which I was forced to go to
the charge for) to White Hall, and there did deliver the Duke of York a
memorial for the Council about the case of Tangiers want of money; and
I was called in there and my paper was read. I did not think fit to say
much, but left them to make what use they pleased of my paper; and so
went out and waited without all the morning, and at noon hear that there
is something ordered towards our help, and so I away by coach home,
taking up Mr. Prin at the Court-gate, it raining, and setting him down
at the Temple: and by the way did ask him about the manner of holding of
Parliaments, and whether the number of Knights and Burgesses were always
the same? And he says that the latter were not; but that, for aught
he can find, they were sent up at the discretion, at first, of the
Sheriffes, to whom the writs are sent, to send up generally the
Burgesses an