d all things in good order, and a good dinner towards. Anon comes
Sir W. Batten and his lady, and Mr. Griffith, their ward, and Sir W. Pen
and his lady, and Mrs. Lowther, who is grown, either through pride or
want of manners, a fool, having not a word to say almost all dinner;
and, as a further mark of a beggarly, proud fool, hath a bracelet of
diamonds and rubies about her wrist, and a sixpenny necklace about
her neck, and not one good rag of clothes upon her back; and Sir John
Chichly in their company, and Mrs. Turner. Here I had an extraordinary
good and handsome dinner for them, better than any of them deserve or
understand, saving Sir John Chichly and Mrs. Turner, and not much mirth,
only what I by discourse made, and that against my genius. After dinner
I took occasion to break up the company soon as I could, and all parted,
Sir W. Batten and I by water to White Hall, there to speak with the
Commissioners of the Treasury, who are mighty earnest for our hastening
all that may be the paying off of the Seamen, now there is money, and
are considering many other thins for easing of charge, which I am glad
of, but vexed to see that J. Duncomb should be so pressing in it as if
none of us had like care with him. Having done there, I by coach to
the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw part of "The Ungratefull
Lovers;" and sat by Beck Marshall, who is very handsome near hand. Here
I met Mrs. Turner and my wife as we agreed, and together home, and there
my wife and I part of the night at the flageolet, which she plays now
any thing upon almost at first sight and in good time. But here come Mr.
Moore, and sat and discoursed with me of publique matters: the sum of
which is, that he do doubt that there is more at the bottom than the
removal of the Chancellor; that is, he do verily believe that the King
do resolve to declare the Duke of Monmouth legitimate, and that we shall
soon see it. This I do not think the Duke of York will endure without
blows; but his poverty, and being lessened by having the Chancellor
fallen and [Sir] W. Coventry gone from him, will disable him from being
able to do any thing almost, he being himself almost lost in the esteem
of people; and will be more and more, unless my Lord Chancellor, who is
already begun to be pitied by some people, and to be better thought of
than was expected, do recover himself in Parliament. He would seem to
fear that this difference about the Crowne (if there be nothing
els