Diary, January 1668/69 | Page 5

thing about the Treasurer for
the Corporation now in establishing, without my assent, and
considering whether it would be to my wrong or no. Thence up and
down the house, and to the Duke of York's side, and there in the
Duchess's presence; and was mightily complimented by my Lady
Peterborough, in my Lord Sandwich's presence, whom she engaged to
thank me for my kindness to her and her Lord. . . . By and by I met my
Lord Brouncker; and he and I to the Duke of York alone, and
discoursed over the carriage of the present Treasurers, in opposition to,
or at least independency of, the Duke of York, or our Board, which the
Duke of York is sensible of, and all remember, I believe; for they do
carry themselves very respectlessly of him and us. We also declared

our minds together to the Duke of York about Sir John Minnes's
incapacity to do any service in the Office, and that it is but to betray the
King to have any business of trust committed to his weakness. So the
Duke of York was very sensible of it and promised to speak to the King
about it. That done, I with W. Hewer took up my wife at Unthank's, and
so home, and there with pleasure to read and talk, and so to supper, and
put into writing, in merry terms, our agreement between my wife and
me, about L30 a-year, and so to bed. This was done under both our
hands merrily, and put into W. Hewer's to keep.

5th. Up, and to the office all the morning, the frost and cold continuing.
At noon home with my people to dinner; and so to work at the office
again; in the evening comes Creed to me, and tells me his wife is at my
house. So I in, and spent an hour with them, the first time she hath been
here, or I have seen her, since she was married. She is not
overhandsome, though a good lady, and one I love. So after some
pleasant discourse, they gone, I to the Office again, and there late, and
then home to supper to my wife, who is not very well of those, and so
sat talking till past one in the morning, and then to bed.

6th (Twelfth day). Up, and to look after things against dinner to-day for
my guests, and then to the Office to write down my journall for five or
six days backward, and so home to look after dinner, it being now
almost noon. At noon comes Mrs. Turner and Dyke, and Mrs.
Dickenson, and then comes The. and Betty Turner, the latter of which
is a very pretty girl; and then Creed and his wife, whom I sent for, by
my coach. These were my guests, and Mrs. Turner's friend, whom I
saw the other day, Mr. Wicken, and very merry we were at dinner, and
so all the afternoon, talking, and looking up and down my house; and in
the evening I did bring out my cake--a noble cake, and there cut it into
pieces, with wine and good drink: and after a new fashion, to prevent
spoiling the cake, did put so many titles into a hat, and so drew cuts;
and I was the Queene; and The. Turner, King--Creed, Sir Martin
Marr-all; and Betty, Mrs. Millicent: and so we were mighty merry till it
was night; and then, being moonshine and fine frost, they went home, I
lending some of them my coach to help to carry them, and so my wife
and I spent the rest of the evening in talk and reading, and so with great

pleasure to bed.

7th. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning, and then at.
noon home to dinner, and thence my wife and I to the King's playhouse,
and there saw "The Island Princesse," the first time I ever saw it; and it
is a pretty good play, many good things being in it, and a good scene of
a town on fire. We sat in an upper box, and the jade Nell come and sat
in the next box; a bold merry slut, who lay laughing there upon people;
and with a comrade of hers of the Duke's house, that come in to see the
play. Thence home and to the office to do some business, and so home
to supper and to bed.

8th. Up, and with Colonel Middleton, in his coach, and Mr. Tippets to
White Hall; and there attended the Duke of York with the rest, where
the Duke was mighty plain with the Treasurers, according to the advice
my Lord Brouncker and I did give him the other night,