Allestry's, the bookseller, who is bookseller to the Royal
Society, and there did buy three or four books, and find great variety
of French and foreign books. And so home and to dinner, and after dinner
with my wife to a play, and the girl--"Macbeth," which we still like
mightily, though mighty short of the content we used to have when
Betterton acted, who is still sick. So home, troubled with the way
and to get a coach, and so to supper and to bed. This day, in the
Paynted-chamber, I met and walked with Mr. George Montagu, who thinks
it may go hard with my Lord Sandwich, but he says the House is offended
with Sir W. Coventry much, and that he do endeavour to gain them again
in the most precarious manner in all things that is possible.

7th. Up, and at the office hard all the morning, and at noon resolved
with Sir W. Pen to go see "The Tempest," an old play of Shakespeare's,
acted, I hear, the first day; and so my wife, and girl, and W. Hewer by
themselves, and Sir W. Pen and I afterwards by ourselves; and forced
to sit in the side balcone over against the musique-room at the Duke's
house, close by my Lady Dorset and a great many great ones. The house
mighty full; the King and Court there and the most innocent play that
ever I saw; and a curious piece of musique in an echo of half sentences,
the echo repeating the former half, while the man goes on to the latter;
which is mighty pretty. The play [has] no great wit, but yet good, above
ordinary plays. Thence home with [Sir] W. Pen, and there all mightily
pleased with the play; and so to supper and to bed, after having done at
the office.

8th. Called up betimes by Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I to good purpose
most of the morning--I in my dressing-gown with him, on our Tangier
accounts, and stated them well; and here he tells me that he believes it
will go hard with my Lord Chancellor. Thence I to the office, where met
on some special, business; and here I hear that the Duke of York is
very ill; and by and by word brought us that we shall not need to attend
to-day the Duke of York, for he is not well, which is bad news. They
being gone, I to my workmen, who this day come to alter my office, by
beating down the wall, and making me a fayre window both there, and
increasing the window of my closet, which do give me some present
trouble; but will be mighty pleasant. So all the whole day among them
to very late, and so home weary, to supper, and to bed, troubled for the
Duke