use; and
by and by Spicer and Mr. Falconbrige come to me and he and I to a towne
near by, Yowell, there drink and set up my horses and also bespoke a
dinner, and while that is dressing went with Spicer and walked up and down
the house and park; and a fine place it hath heretofore been, and a fine
prospect about the house. A great walk of an elme and a walnutt set one
after another in order. And all the house on the outside filled with
figures of stories, and good painting of Rubens' or Holben's doing. And
one great thing is, that most of the house is covered, I mean the posts,
and quarters in the walls; covered with lead, and gilded. I walked into
the ruined garden, and there found a plain little girle, kinswoman of Mr.
Falconbridge, to sing very finely by the eare only, but a fine way of
singing, and if I come ever to lacke a girle again I shall think of
getting her. Thence to the towne, and there Spicer, Woodruffe, and W.
Bowyer and I dined together and a friend of Spicer's; and a good dinner I
had for them. Falconbrige dined somewhere else, by appointment. Strange
to see how young W. Bowyer looks at 41 years; one would not take him for
24 or more, and is one of the greatest wonders I ever did see. After
dinner, about 4 of the clock we broke up, and I took coach and home (in
fear for the money I had with me, but that this friend of Spicer's, one of
the Duke's guard did ride along the best part of the way with us). I got
to my Lord Bruncker's before night, and there I sat and supped with him
and his mistresse, and Cocke whose boy is yet ill. Thence, after losing a
crowne betting at Tables--[Cribbage]--, we walked home, Cocke seeing me at
my new lodging, where I went to bed. All my worke this day in the coach
going and coming was to refresh myself in my musique scale, which I would
fain have perfecter than ever I had yet.

22nd. Up betimes and to the office, meaning to have entered my last 5 or
6 days' Journall, but was called away by my Lord Bruncker and Sir J.
Minnes, and to Blackwall, there to look after the storehouses in order to
the laying of goods out of the East India ships when they shall be
unloaden. That being done, we into Johnson's house, and were much made
of, eating and drinking. But here it is observable what he tells us, that
in digging his late Docke, he did 12 foot under ground find perfect trees
over-covered with earth. Nut trees, with the branches and the very nuts
upon them; some of wh