Diary, Nov/Dec 1661 | Page 5

with me, and did, and we were very merry. After
dinner, I having drunk a great deal of wine, I went away, seeming to go
about business with Sir W. Pen, to my Lady Batten's (Sir William being
at Chatham), and there sat a good while, and then went away (before I

went I called at home to see whether they were gone, and found them
there, and Armiger inviting my wife to go to a play, and like a fool
would be courting her, but he is an ass, and lays out money with Tom,
otherwise I should not think him worth half this respect I shew him).
To the Dolphin, where he and I and Captain Cocke sat late and drank
much, seeing the boys in the streets flying their crackers, this day being
kept all the day very strictly in the City. At last broke up, and called at
my Lady Batten's again and would have gone to cards, but Sir W. Pen
was so fuddled that we could not try him to play, and therefore we
parted, and I home and to bed.

6th. Going forth this morning I met Mr. Davenport and a friend of his,
one Mr. Furbisher, to drink their morning draft with me, and I did give
it them in good wine, and anchovies, and pickled oysters, and took
them to the Sun in Fish Street, there did give them a barrel of good
ones, and a great deal of wine, and sent for Mr. W. Bernard (Sir
Robert's son), a grocer thereabouts, and were very merry, and cost me a
good deal of money, and at noon left them, and with my head full of
wine, and being invited by a note from Luellin, that came to my hands
this morning in bed, I went to Nick Osborne's at the Victualling Office,
and there saw his wife, who he has lately married, a good sober woman,
and new come to their home. We had a good dish or two of
marrowbones and another of neats' tongues to dinner, and that being
done I bade them adieu and hastened to Whitehall (calling Mr. Moore
by the way) to my Lord Privy Seal, who will at last force the clerks to
bring in a table of their fees, which they have so long denied, but I do
not join with them, and so he is very respectful to me. So he desires me
to bring in one which I observe in making of fees, which I will speedily
do. So back again, and endeavoured to speak with Tom Trice (who I
fear is hatching some mischief), but could not, which vexed me, and so
I went home and sat late with pleasure at my lute, and so to bed.

7th. This morning came one Mr. Hill (sent by Mr. Hunt, the Instrument
maker), to teach me to play on the Theorbo, but I do not like his play
nor singing, and so I found a way to put him off. So to the office. And
then to dinner, and got Mr. Pett the Commissioner to dinner with me,
he and I alone, my wife not being well, and so after dinner parted. And

I to Tom Trice, who in short shewed me a writt he had ready for my
father, and I promised to answer it. So I went to Dr. Williams (who is
now pretty well got up after his sickness), and after that to Mr. Moore
to advise, and so returned home late on foot, with my mind cleared,
though not satisfied. I met with letters at home from my Lord from
Lisbone, which speak of his being well; and he tells me he had seen at
the court there the day before he wrote this letter, the Juego de Toro.
--[A bull fight. See May 24th, 1662.--B:]-- So fitted myself for bed.
Coming home I called at my uncle Fenner's, who tells that Peg Kite
now hath declared she will have the beggarly rogue the weaver, and so
we are resolved neither to meddle nor make with her.

8th. This morning up early, and to my Lord Chancellor's with a letter to
him from my Lord, and did speak with him; and he did ask me whether
I was son to Mr. Talbot Pepys or no (with whom he was once
acquainted in the Court of Requests), and spoke to me with great
respect. Thence to Westminster Hall (it being Term time) and there met
with Commissioner Pett, and so at noon he and I by appointment to the
Sun in New Fish Street, where Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, and we all
were to dine, at an invitation of Captain Stoaks and Captain Clerk, and
were very