Diary, Nov/Dec 1662 | Page 8

lately hath bought a seat anciently of the Levers, and then the Ashtons;
and so he hath in his great hall window (having repaired and beautified
the house) caused four great places to be left for coates of armes. In one,
he hath put the Levers, with this motto, "Olim." In another the Ashtons,
with this, "Heri." In the next his own, with this, "Hodie." In the fourth

nothing but this motto, "Cras nescio cujus." Thence towards my
brother's; met with Jack Cole in Fleet Street, and he and I went into his
cozen Mary Cole's (whom I never saw since she was married), and
drank a pint of wine and much good discourse. I found him a little
conceited, but he had good things in him, and a man may know the
temper of the City by him, he being of a general conversation, and can
tell how matters go; and upon that score I will encourage his
acquaintance. Thence to my brother's, and taking my wife up, carried
her to Charing Cross, and there showed her the Italian motion, much
after the nature of what I showed her a while since in Covent Garden.
Their puppets here are somewhat better, but their motions not at all.
Thence by coach to my Lady's, and, hiding my wife with Sarah below,
I went up and heard some musique with my Lord, and afterwards
discoursed with him alone, and so good night to him and below, having
sent for Mr. Creed, had thought to have shown my wife a play before
the King, but it is so late that we could not, and so we took coach, and
taking up Sarah at my brother's with their night geare we went home,
and I to my office to settle matters, and so home and to bed. This
morning in the Duke's chamber Sir J. Minnes did break to me his desire
about my chamber, which I did put off to another time to discourse of,
he speaking to me very kindly to make me the less trouble myself,
hoping to save myself and to contrive something or other to pleasure
him as well, though I know not well what. The town, I hear, is full of
discontents, and all know of the King's new bastard by Mrs. Haslerigge,
and as far as I can hear will never be contented with Episcopacy, they
are so cruelly set for Presbytery, and the Bishopps carry themselves so
high, that they are never likely to gain anything upon them.

11th. All the morning sitting at the office, and then to dinner with my
wife, and so to the office again (where a good while Mr. Bland was
with me, telling me very fine things in merchandize, which, but that the
trouble of my office do so cruelly hinder me, I would take some pains
in) till late at night. Towards the evening I, as I have done for three or
four nights, studying something of Arithmetique, which do please me
well to see myself come forward. So home, to supper, and to bed.

12th. At my office most of the morning, after I had done among my

painters, and sent away Mr. Shaw and Hawly, who came to give me a
visit this morning. Shaw it seems is newly re-married to a rich widow.
At noon dined at home with my wife, and by and by, by my wife's
appointment came two young ladies, sisters, acquaintances of my wife's
brother's, who are desirous to wait upon some ladies, and proffer their
service to my wife. The youngest, indeed, hath a good voice, and sings
very well, besides other good qualitys; but I fear hath been bred up with
too great liberty for my family, and I fear greater inconveniences of
expenses, and my wife's liberty will follow, which I must study to
avoid till I have a better purse; though, I confess, the gentlewoman,
being pretty handsome, and singing, makes me have a good mind to her.
Anon I took them by coach and carried them to a friend's of theirs, in
Lincoln's Inn Fields, and there I left them and I to the Temple by
appointment to my cousin Roger's chamber, where my uncle Thomas
and his son Thomas met us, I having hoped that they would have
agreed with me to have had [it] ended by my cozen Roger, but they will
have two strangers to be for them against two others of mine, and so we
parted without doing any thing till the two send me the names of their
arbiters. Thence I walked home, calling a little in Paul's Churchyard,
and, I thank God, can read and never buy a book, though I have a great
mind to it. So to the