's, and
I to White Hall, thinking there to have seen the Duchess of Newcastle's
coming this night to Court, to make a visit to the Queene, the King
having been with her yesterday, to make her a visit since her coming
to town. The whole story of this lady is a romance, and all she do is
romantick. Her footmen in velvet coats, and herself in an antique dress,
as they say; and was the other day at her own play, "The Humourous
Lovers;" the most ridiculous thing that ever was wrote, but yet she
and her Lord mightily pleased with it; and she, at the end, made her
respects to the players from her box, and did give them thanks. There is
as much expectation of her coming to Court, that so people may come to
see her, as if it were the Queen of Sheba; but I lost my labour, for she
did not come this night. So, meeting Mr. Brisband, he took me up to my
Lady Jemimah's chamber, who is let blood to-day, and so there we sat and
talked an hour, I think, very merry and one odd thing or other, and so
away, and I took up my wife at her tailor's (whose wife is brought to
bed, and my wife must be godmother), and so with much ado got a coach to
carry us home, it being late, and so to my chamber, having little left
to do at my office, my eyes being a little sore by reason of my reading
a small printed book the other day after it was dark, and so to supper
and to bed. It comes in my head to set down that there have been two
fires in the City, as I am told for certain, and it is so, within this
week.

12th. Up, and when ready, and to my office, to do a little business,
and, coming homeward again, saw my door and hatch open, left so by Luce,
our cookmayde, which so vexed me, that I did give her a kick in our
entry, and offered a blow at her, and was seen doing so by Sir W.
Pen's footboy, which did vex me to the heart, because I know he will
be telling their family of it; though I did put on presently a very
pleasant face to the boy, and spoke kindly to him, as one without
passion, so as it may be he might not think I was angry, but yet I was
troubled at it. So away by water to White Hall, and there did our usual
business before the Duke of York; but it fell out that, discoursing
of matters of money, it rose to a mighty heat, very high words arising
between Sir G. Carteret and [Sir] W. Coventry, the former in his passion
saying that the other should have helped things if they were so bad; and
the other answered, so he would, and things should have