scourse of
dancing, and I find that Ashwell hath a very fine carriage, which
makes my wife almost ashamed of herself to see herself so outdone, but
to-morrow she begins to learn to dance for a month or two. So to prayers
and to bed. Will being gone, with my leave, to his father's this day for
a day or two, to take physique these holydays.

20th. Up betimes as I use to do, and in my chamber begun to look over
my father's accounts, which he brought out of the country with him by
my desire, whereby I may see what he has received and spent, and I find
that he is not anything extravagant, and yet it do so far outdo his
estate that he must either think of lessening his charge, or I must be
forced to spare money out of my purse to help him through, which I would
willing do as far as L20 goes. So to my office the remaining part of
the morning till towards noon, and then to Mr. Grant's. There saw his
prints, which he shewed me, and indeed are the best collection of any
things almost that ever I saw, there being the prints of most of the
greatest houses, churches, and antiquitys in Italy and France and brave
cutts. I had not time to look them over as I ought, and which I will
take time hereafter to do, and therefore left them and home to dinner.
After dinner, it raining very hard, by coach to Whitehall, where, after
Sir G. Carteret, Sir J. Minnes, Mr. Coventry and I had been with the
Duke, we to the Committee of Tangier and did matters there dispatching
wholly my Lord Teviott, and so broke up. With Sir G. Carteret and Sir
John Minnes by coach to my Lord Treasurer's, thinking to have spoken
about getting money for paying the Yards; but we found him with some
ladies at cards: and so, it being a bad time to speak, we parted, and
Sir J. Minnes and I home, and after walking with my wife in the garden
late, to supper and to bed, being somewhat troubled at Ashwell's
desiring and insisting over eagerly upon her going to a ball to meet
some of her old companions at a dancing school here in town next Friday,
but I am resolved she shall not go. So to bed. This day the little
Duke of Monmouth was marryed at White Hall, in the King's chamber;
and tonight is a great supper and dancing at his lodgings, near
Charing-Cross. I observed his coat at the tail of his coach he gives the
arms of England, Scotland, and France, quartered upon some other fields,
but what it is that speaks his being a bastard I know not.

21st. Up betimes and to my office,