Diary, Jan/Feb 1663/64 | Page 5

Usurper," which is
no good play, though better than what I saw yesterday. However, we
rose unsatisfied, and took coach and home, and I to the office late
writing letters, and so to supper and to bed.

3rd (Lord's day). Lay long in bed, and then rose and with a fire in my
chamber staid within all day, looking over and settling my accounts in
good order, by examining all my books, and the kitchen books, and I
find that though the proper profit of my last year was but L305, yet I

did by other gain make it up L444., which in every part of it was
unforeseen of me, and therefore it was a strange oversight for lack of
examining my expenses that I should spend L690 this year, but for the
time to come I have so distinctly settled all my accounts in writing and
the particulars of all my several layings out, that I do hope I shall
hereafter make a better judgment of my spendings than ever. I dined
with my wife in her chamber, she in bed, and then down again and till
11 at night, and broke up and to bed with great content, but could not
make an end of writing over my vows as I purposed, but I am agreed in
every thing how to order myself for the year to come, which I trust in
God will be much for my good. So up to prayers and to bed. This
evening Sir W. Pen came to invite me against next Wednesday, being
Twelfth day, to his usual feast, his wedding day.

4th. Up betimes, and my wife being ready, and her mayd Besse and the
girl, I carried them by coach and set them all down in Covent Garden
and there left them, and I to my Lord Sandwich's lodgings, but he not
being up, I to the Duke's chamber, and there by and by to his closett,
where since his lady was ill, a little red bed of velvet is brought for him
to lie alone, which is a very pretty one. After doing business here, I to
my Lord's again, and there spoke with him, and he seems now almost
friends again as he used to be. Here meeting Mr. Pierce, the chyrurgeon,
he told me among other Court newes, how the Queene is very well
again, and the King lay with her on Saturday night last; and that she
speaks now very pretty English, and makes her sense out now and then
with pretty phrazes: as among others this is mightily cried up; that,
meaning to say that she did not like such a horse so well as the rest, he
being too prancing and full of tricks, she said he did make too much
vanity. Thence to the Tennis Court, after I had spent a little time in
Westminster Hall, thinking to have met with Mrs. Lane, but I could not
and am glad of it, and there saw the King play at Tennis and others: but
to see how the King's play was extolled without any cause at all, was a
loathsome sight, though sometimes, indeed, he did play very well and
deserved to be commended; but such open flattery is beastly.
Afterwards to St. James's Parke, being unwilling to go to spend money
at the ordinary, and there spent an hour or two, it being a pleasant day,
seeing people play at Pell Mell; where it pleased me mightily to hear a

gallant, lately come from France, swear at one of his companions for
suffering his man (a spruce blade) to be so saucy as to strike a ball
while his master was playing on the Mall.
[When Egerton was Bishop of Durham, he often played at bowls with
his guests on the public days. On an occasion of this sort, a visitor
happening to cross the lawn, one of the chaplains exclaimed, "You
must not shake the green, for the bishop is going to bowl."-B.]
Thence took coach at White Hall and took up my wife, who is mighty
sad to think of her father, who is going into Germany against the
Turkes; but what will become of her brother I know not. He is so idle,
and out of all capacity, I think, to earn his bread. Home and at my
office till is at night making my solemn vowes for the next year, which
I trust in the Lord I shall keep, but I fear I have a little too severely
bound myself in some things and in too many, for I fear I may forget
some. But however, I know the worst, and shall by the blessing of God
observe to perform or pay my forfeits punctually. So home and