Wansted House of Sir Robert Brookes, but has put him off
again, and left him the other day to pay for a dinner at a tavern,
which she says our parishioner, Mrs. Hollworthy, talks of; and I dare be
hanged if ever he could mean to buy that great house, that knows not how
to furnish one that is not the tenth part so big. Thence I to my chamber
to write a little, and then to bed, having got a mighty cold in my right
eare and side of my throat, and in much trouble with it almost all the
night.

20th. Up, with much pain in my eare and palate. To the office out of
humour all the morning. At noon dined, and with my wife to the King's
house, but there found the bill torn down and no play acted, and so
being in the humour to see one, went to the Duke of York's house, and
there saw "The Witts" again, which likes me better than it did the other
day, having much wit in it. Here met with Mr. Rolt, who tells me
the reason of no play to-day at the King's house. That Lacy had been
committed to the porter's lodge for his acting his part in the late new
play, and that being thence released he come to the King's house,
there met with Ned Howard, the poet of the play, who congratulated his
release; upon which Lacy cursed him as that it was the fault of his
nonsensical play that was the cause of his ill usage. Mr. Howard did
give him some reply; to which Lacy [answered] him, that he was more a
fool than a poet; upon which Howard did give him a blow on the face with
his glove; on which Lacy, having a cane in his hand, did give him a blow
over the pate. Here Rolt and others that discoursed of it in the pit
this afternoon did wonder that Howard did not run him through, he being
too mean a fellow to fight with. But Howard did not do any thing but
complain to the King of it; so the whole house is silenced, and the
gentry seem to rejoice much at it, the house being become too insolent.
Here were many fine ladies this afternoon at this house as I have at any
time seen, and so after the play home and there wrote to my father, and
then to walk in the garden with my wife, resolving by the grace of God
to see no more plays till Whitsuntide, I having now seen a play every
day this week till I have neglected my business, and that I am ashamed
of, being found so much absent; the Duke of York and Sir W. Coventry
having been out of town at Portsmouth did the more embolden me thereto.
So home, and having brought home with me from Fenchurch Street a hundred
o