things ill done. At noon home, and by coach
to Temple Bar to a India shop, and there bought a gown and sash, which
cost me 26s., and so she [Mrs. Pepys] and Willet away to the 'Change,
and I to my Lord Crew, and there met my Lord Hinchingbroke and Lady
Jemimah, and there dined with them and my Lord, where pretty merry, and
after dinner my Lord Crew and Hinchingbroke and myself went aside to
discourse about my Lord Sandwich's business, which is in a very ill
state for want of money, and so parted, and I to my tailor's, and there
took up my wife and Willet, who staid there for me, and to the Duke
of York's playhouse, but the house so full, it being a new play, "The
Coffee House," that we could not get in, and so to the King's house:
and there, going in, met with Knepp, and she took us up into the
tireing-rooms: and to the women's shift, where Nell was dressing
herself, and was all unready, and is very pretty, prettier than I
thought. And so walked all up and down the house above, and then below
into the scene-room, and there sat down, and she gave us fruit and here
I read the questions to Knepp, while she answered me, through all her
part of "Flora's Figary's," which was acted to-day. But, Lord! to see
how they were both painted would make a man mad, and did make me loath
them; and what base company of men comes among them, and how lewdly they
talk! and how poor the men are in clothes, and yet what a shew they make
on the stage by candle-light, is very observable. But to see how Nell
cursed, for having so few people in the pit, was pretty; the other house
carrying away all the people at the new play, and is said, now-a-days,
to have generally most company, as being better players. By and by into
the pit, and there saw the play, which is pretty good, but my belly was
full of what I had seen in the house, and so, after the play done, away
home, and there to the writing my letters, and so home to supper and to
bed.

6th (Lord's day). Up, and dressed myself, and so walked out with the boy
to Smithfield to Cow Lane, to Lincolne's, and there spoke with him, and
agreed upon the hour to-morrow, to set out towards Brampton; but vexed
that he is not likely to go himself, but sends another for him. Here I
took a hackney coach, and to White Hall, and there met Sir W. Coventry,
and discoursed with him, and then with my Lord Bruncker, and many
others, to end my matters in order to my going into the country
to-morrow for five or six day