19th (Office day).  I put on my mourning and went to the office.  At noon thinking to have found my wife in hers, I found that the tailor had failed her, at which I was vexed because of an invitation that we have to a dinner this day, but after having waited till past one o’clock I went, and left her to put on some other clothes and come after me to the Mitre tavern in Wood-street (a house of the greatest note in London), where I met W. Symons, and D. Scobell, and their wives, Mr. Samford, Luellin, Chetwind, one Mr. Vivion, and Mr. White,

[According to Noble, Jeremiah White married Lady Frances Cromwell’s waiting-woman, in Oliver’s lifetime, and they lived together fifty years.  Lady Frances had two husbands, Mr. Robert Rich and Sir John Russell of Chippenham, the last of whom she survived fifty-two years dying 1721-22 The story is, that Oliver found White on his knees to Frances Cromwell, and that, to save himself, he pretended to have been soliciting her interest with her waiting-woman, whom Oliver compelled him to marry. (Noble’s “Life of Cromwell,” vol. ii. pp. 151, 152.) White was born in 1629 and died 1707.]

formerly chaplin to the Lady Protectresse—­[Elizabeth, wife of Oliver Cromwell.]—­(and still so, and one they say that is likely to get my Lady Francess for his wife).  Here we were very merry and had a very good dinner, my wife coming after me hither to us.

Among other pleasures some of us fell to handycapp,

["A game at cards not unlike Loo, but with this difference, the winner of one trick has to put in a double stake, the winner of two tricks a triple stake, and so on.  Thus, if six persons are playing, and the general stake is 1s., suppose A gains the three tricks, he gains 6s., and has to ‘hand i’ the cap,’ or pool, 4s. for the next deal.  Suppose A gains two tricks and B one, then A gains 4s. and B 2s., and A has to stake 3s. and B 2s. for the next deal.”—­Hindley’s Tavern Anecdotes.—­M.  B.]

a sport that I never knew before, which was very good.  We staid till it was very late; it rained sadly, but we made shift to get coaches.  So home and to bed.

20th.  At home, and at the office, and in the garden walking with both Sir Williams all the morning.  After dinner to Whitehall to Mr. Dalton, and with him to my house and took away all my papers that were left in my closet, and so I have now nothing more in the house or to do with it.  We called to speak with my Landlord Beale, but he was not within but spoke with the old woman, who takes it very ill that I did not let her have it, but I did give her an answer.  From thence to Sir G. Downing and staid late there (he having sent for me to come to him), which was to tell me how my Lord Sandwich had disappointed him of a ship to bring over his child and goods, and made great complaint thereof; but I got him to write a letter to Lawson, which it may be may do the business for him, I writing another also about it.  While