Diary, March 1663/64 | Page 7

wife upon her saying that
she had got and used some puppy-dog water, being put upon it by a
desire of my aunt Wight to get some for her, who hath a mind,
unknown to her husband, to get some for her ugly face. I to the office,
where we sat all the morning, doing not much business through the
multitude of counsellors, one hindering another. It was Mr. Coventry's
own saying to me in his coach going to the 'Change, but I wonder that
he did give me no thanks for my letter last night, but I believe he did
only forget it. Thence home, whither Luellin came and dined with me,
but we made no long stay at dinner; for "Heraclius" being acted, which
my wife and I have a mighty mind to see, we do resolve, though not
exactly agreeing with the letter of my vowe, yet altogether with the
sense, to see another this month, by going hither instead of that at Court,
there having been none conveniently since I made my vowe for us to
see there, nor like to be this Lent, and besides we did walk home on
purpose to make this going as cheap as that would have been, to have
seen one at Court, and my conscience knows that it is only the saving
of money and the time also that I intend by my oaths, and this has cost
no more of either, so that my conscience before God do after good
consultation and resolution of paying my forfeit, did my conscience
accuse me of breaking my vowe, I do not find myself in the least
apprehensive that I have done any violence to my oaths. The play hath
one very good passage well managed in it, about two persons
pretending, and yet denying themselves, to be son to the tyrant Phocas,
and yet heire of Mauritius to the crowne. The garments like Romans
very well. The little girle is come to act very prettily, and spoke the
epilogue most admirably. But at the beginning, at the drawing up of the

curtaine, there was the finest scene of the Emperor and his people about
him, standing in their fixed and different pastures in their Roman
habitts, above all that ever I yet saw at any of the theatres. Walked
home, calling to see my brother Tom, who is in bed, and I doubt very
ill of a consumption. To the office awhile, and so home to supper and
to bed.

9th. Up pretty betimes to my office, where all day long, but a little at
home at dinner, at my office finishing all things about Mr. Wood's
contract for masts, wherein I am sure I shall save the King L400 before
I have done. At night home to supper and to bed.

10th. Up and to the office, where all the morning doing business, and at
noon to the 'Change and there very busy, and so home to dinner with
my wife, to a good hog's harslet,
[Harslet or haslet, the entrails of an animal, especially of a hog, as the
heart, liver, &c.]
a piece of meat I love, but have not eat of I think these seven years, and
after dinner abroad by coach set her at Mrs. Hunt's and I to White Hall,
and at the Privy Seale I enquired, and found the Bill come for the
Corporation of the Royall Fishery; whereof the Duke of Yorke is made
present Governor, and several other very great persons, to the number
of thirty-two, made his assistants for their lives: whereof, by my Lord
Sandwich's favour, I am one; and take it not only as a matter of honour,
but that, that may come to be of profit to me, and so with great content
went and called my wife, and so home and to the office, where busy
late, and so home to supper and to bed.

11th. Up and by coach to my Lord Sandwich's, who not being up I staid
talking with Mr. Moore till my Lord was ready and come down, and
went directly out without calling for me or seeing any body. I know not
whether he knew I was there, but I am apt to think not, because if he
would have given me that slighting yet he would not have done it to
others that were there. So I went back again doing nothing but
discoursing with Mr. Moore, who I find by discourse to be grown rich,
and indeed not to use me at all with the respect he used to do, but as his
equal. He made me known to their Chaplin, who is a worthy, able man.

Thence home, and by and by to the Coffee-house, and thence