Diary, 1661 N.S. Complete | Page 5

After supper I sent them home by
coach, and I went to my Lord's and there played till 12 at night at cards
at Best with J. Goods and N. Osgood, and then to bed with Mr.
Shepley.
2d. Up early, and being called up to my Lord he did give me many
commands in his business. As about taking care to write to my uncle
that Mr. Barnewell's papers should be locked up, in case he should die,
he being now suspected to be very ill. Also about consulting with Mr.
W. Montagu for the settling of the L4000 a-year that the King had
promised my Lord. As also about getting of Mr. George Montagu to be

chosen at Huntingdon this next Parliament, &c. That done he to White
Hall stairs with much company, and I with him; where we took water
for Lambeth, and there coach for Portsmouth. The Queen's things were
all in White Hall Court ready to be sent away, and her Majesty ready to
be gone an hour after to Hampton Court to-night, and so to be at Ports
mouth on Saturday next. I by water to my office, and there all the
morning, and so home to dinner, where I found Pall (my sister) was
come; but I do not let her sit down at table with me, which I do at first
that she may not expect it hereafter from me. After dinner I to
Westminster by water, and there found my brother Spicer at the Leg
with all the rest of the Exchequer men (most of whom I now do not
know) at dinner. Here I staid and drank with them, and then to Mr.
George Montagu about the business of election, and he did give me a
piece in gold; so to my Lord's and got the chest of plate brought to the
Exchequer, and my brother Spicer put it into his treasury. So to Will's
with them to a pot of ale, and so parted. I took a turn in the Hall, and
bought the King and Chancellor's speeches at the dissolving the
Parliament last Saturday. So to my Lord's, and took my money I
brought 'thither last night and the silver candlesticks, and by coach left
the latter at Alderman Backwell's, I having no use for them, and the
former home. There stood a man at our door, when I carried it in, and
saw me, which made me a little afeard. Up to my chamber and wrote
letters to Huntingdon and did other business. This day I lent Sir W.
Batten and Captn. Rider my chine of beef for to serve at dinner
tomorrow at Trinity House, the Duke of Albemarle being to be there
and all the rest of the Brethren, it being a great day for the reading over
of their new Charter, which the King hath newly given them.
3d. Early in the morning to the Exchequer, where I told over what
money I had of my Lord's and my own there, which I found to be L970.
Thence to Will's, where Spicer and I eat our dinner of a roasted leg of
pork which Will did give us, and after that to the Theatre, where was
acted "Beggars' Bush," it being very well done; and here the first time
that ever I saw women come upon the stage.
[Downes does not give the cast of this play. After the Restoration the
acting of female characters by women became common. The first
English professional actress was Mrs. Coleman, who acted Ianthe in
Davenant's "Siege of Rhodes," at Rutland House in 1656.]

From thence to my father's, where I found my mother gone by Bird, the
carrier, to Brampton, upon my uncle's great desire, my aunt being now
in despair of life. So home.
4th. Office all the morning, my wife and Pall being gone to my father's
to dress dinner for Mr. Honiwood, my mother being gone out of town.
Dined at home, and Mr. Moore with me, with whom I had been early
this morning at White Hall, at the Jewell Office,
[Several of the Jewel Office rolls are in the British Museum. They
recite all the sums of money given to the King, and the particulars of all
the plate distributed in his name, as well as gloves and sweetmeats. The
Museum possesses these rolls for the 4th, 9th, 18th, 30th, and 31st Eliz.;
for the 13th Charles I.; and the 23rd, 24th, 26th, and 27th of Charles
II.--B.]
to choose a piece of gilt plate for my Lord, in return of his offering to
the King (which it seems is usual at this time of year, and an Earl gives
twenty pieces in gold in a purse to the King). I chose a gilt