Diary, May/Jun 1662 | Page 9

now
that we have health, money, and opportunity, rather than to leave
pleasures to old age or poverty, when we cannot have them so properly.

21st. My wife and I by water to Westminster, and after she had seen her
father (of whom lately I have heard nothing at all what he does or her
mother), she comes to me to my Lord's lodgings, where she and I staid
walking in White Hall garden. And in the Privy-garden saw the finest
smocks and linnen petticoats of my Lady Castlemaine's, laced with rich
lace at the bottom, that ever I saw; and did me good to look upon them.
So to Wilkinson's, she and I and Sarah to dinner, where I had a good
quarter of lamb and a salat. Here Sarah told me how the King dined at
my Lady Castlemaine's, and supped, every day and night the last week;
and that the night that the bonfires were made for joy of the Queen's
arrivall, the King was there; but there was no fire at her door, though at
all the rest of the doors almost in the street; which was much observed:
and that the King and she did send for a pair of scales and weighed one
another; and she, being with child, was said to be heaviest. But she is
now a most disconsolate creature, and comes not out of doors, since the
King's going. But we went to the Theatre to "The French Dancing
Master," and there with much pleasure gazed upon her (Lady
Castlemaine); but it troubles us to see her look dejectedly and slighted
by people already. The play pleased us very well; but Lacy's part, the
Dancing Master, the best in the world. Thence to my brother Tom's, in
expectation to have met my father to-night come out of the country, but
he is not yet come, but here we found my uncle Fenner and his old wife,
whom I had not seen since the wedding dinner, nor care to see her.
They being gone, my wife and I went and saw Mrs. Turner, whom we
found not well, and her two boys Charles and Will come out of the
country, grown very plain boys after three years being under their
father's care in Yorkshire. Thence to Tom's again, and there supped
well, my she cozen Scott being there and my father being not come, we
walked home and to bed.

22d. This morning comes an order from the Secretary of State,
Nicholas, for me to let one Mr. Lee, a Councellor, to view what papers
I have relating to passages of the late times, wherein Sir H. Vane's hand
is employed, in order to the drawing up his charge; which I did, and at
noon he, with Sir W. Pen and his daughter, dined with me, and he to his
work again, and we by coach to the Theatre and saw "Love in a Maze."
The play hath little in it but Lacy's part of a country fellow, which he
did to admiration. So home, and supped with Sir W. Pen, where Sir W.
Batten and Captn. Cocke came to us, to whom I have lately been a
great stranger. This night we had each of us a letter from Captain
Teddiman from the Streights, of a peace made upon good terms, by Sir
J. Lawson, with the Argier men, which is most excellent news? He hath
also sent each of us some anchovies, olives, and muscatt; but I know
not yet what that is, and am ashamed to ask. After supper home, and to
bed, resolving to make up this week in seeing plays and pleasure, and
so fall to business next week again for a great while.

23rd. At the office good part of the morning, and then about noon with
my wife on foot to the Wardrobe. My wife went up to the dining room
to my Lady Paulina, and I staid below talking with Mr. Moore in the
parley, reading of the King's and Chancellor's late speeches at the
proroguing of the Houses of Parliament. And while I was reading, news
was brought me that my Lord Sandwich is come and gone up to my
Lady, which put me into great suspense of joy, so I went up waiting my
Lord's coming out of my Lady's chamber, which by and by he did, and
looks very well, and my soul is glad to see him. He very merry, and
hath left the King and Queen at Portsmouth, and is come up to stay
here till next Wednesday, and then to meet the King and Queen at
Hampton Court. So to dinner, Mr. Browne, Clerk of the House of Lords,
and his wife and brother there also; and