Diary, September 1667 | Page 8

was mighty weak; but my Lord Keeper I observe to be
a mighty able man. The business broke off without any end to it, and so
I home, and thence with my wife and W. Hewer to Bartholomew fayre,
and there Polichinelli, where we saw Mrs. Clerke and all her crew; and
so to a private house, and sent for a side of pig, and eat it at an
acquaintance of W. Hewer's, where there was some learned physic and
chymical books, and among others, a natural "Herball" very fine. Here
we staid not, but to the Duke of York's play house, and there saw
"Mustapha," which, the more I see, the more I like; and is a most
admirable poem, and bravely acted; only both Betterton and Harris
could not contain from laughing in the midst of a most serious part
from the ridiculous mistake of one of the men upon the stage; which I
did not like. Thence home, where Batelier and his sister Mary come to
us and sat and talked, and so, they gone, we to supper and to bed.

5th. Up, and all the morning at the office, where we sat till noon, and
then I home to dinner, where Mary Batelier and her brother dined with

us, who grows troublesome in his talking so much of his going to
Marseilles, and what commissions he hath to execute as a factor, and a
deal of do of which I am weary. After dinner, with Sir W. Pen, my wife,
and Mary Batelier to the Duke of York's house, and there saw
"Heraclius," which is a good play; but they did so spoil it with their
laughing, and being all of them out, and with the noise they made
within the theatre, that I was ashamed of it, and resolve not to come
thither again a good while, believing that this negligence, which I never
observed before, proceeds only from their want of company in the pit,
that they have no care how they act. My wife was ill, and so I was
forced to go out of the house with her to Lincoln's Inn walks, and there
in a corner she did her business, and was by and by well, and so into
the house again, but sick of their ill acting.--[Obviously there were no
"Rest Rooms" in the theatres of the 17th century. D.W.]--So home and
to the office, where busy late, then home to supper and to bed. This
morning was told by Sir W. Batten, that he do hear from Mr. Grey, who
hath good intelligence, that our Queen is to go into a nunnery, there to
spend her days; and that my Lady Castlemayne is going into France,
and is to have a pension of L4000 a-year. This latter I do more believe
than the other, it being very wise in her to do it, and save all she hath,
besides easing the King and kingdom of a burden and reproach.

6th. Up, and to Westminster to the Exchequer, and then into the Hall,
and there bought "Guillim's Heraldry" for my wife, and so to the Swan,
and thither come Doll Lane, and je did toucher her, and drank, and so
away, I took coach and home, where I find my wife gone to
Walthamstow by invitation with Sir W. Batten, and so I followed,
taking up Mrs. Turner, and she and I much discourse all the way
touching the baseness of Sir W. Pen and sluttishness of his family, and
how the world do suspect that his son Lowther, who is sick of a sore
mouth, has got the pox. So we come to Sir W. Batten's, where Sir W.
Pen and his Lady, and we and Mrs. Shipman, and here we walked and
had an indifferent good dinner, the victuals very good and cleanly
dressed and good linen, but no fine meat at all. After dinner we went up
and down the house, and I do like it very well, being furnished with a
great deal of very good goods. And here we staid, I tired with the
company, till almost evening, and then took leave, Turner and I

together again, and my wife with [Sir] W. Pen. At Aldgate I took my
wife into our coach, and so to Bartholomew fair, and there, it being
very dirty, and now night, we saw a poor fellow, whose legs were tied
behind his back, dance upon his hands with his arse above his head,
and also dance upon his crutches, without any legs upon the ground to
help him, which he did with that pain that I was sorry to see it, and did
pity him and give him money after he had done. Then we to see a piece