see the audience of the Russia Embassadors; which [took place] after long waiting and fear of the falling of the gallery (it being so full, and part of it being parted from the rest, for nobody to come up merely from the weakness thereof):  and very handsome it was.  After they were come in, I went down and got through the croude almost as high as the King and the Embassadors, where I saw all the presents, being rich furs, hawks, carpets, cloths of tissue, and sea-horse teeth.  The King took two or three hawks upon his fist, having a glove on, wrought with gold, given him for the purpose.  The son of one of the Embassadors was in the richest suit for pearl and tissue, that ever I did see, or shall, I believe.  After they and all the company had kissed the King’s hand, then the three Embassadors and the son, and no more, did kiss the Queen’s.  One thing more I did observe, that the chief Embassador did carry up his master’s letters in state before him on high; and as soon as he had delivered them, he did fall down to the ground and lay there a great while.  After all was done, the company broke up; and I spent a little while walking up and down the gallery seeing the ladies, the two Queens, and the Duke of Monmouth with his little mistress, which is very little, and like my brother-in-law’s wife.  So with Mr. Creed to the Harp and Ball, and there meeting with Mr. How, Goodgroom, and young Coleman, did drink and talk with them, and I have almost found out a young gentlewoman for my turn, to wait on my wife, of good family and that can sing.  Thence I went away, and getting a coach went home and sat late talking with my wife about our entertaining Dr. Clerke’s lady and Mrs. Pierce shortly, being in great pain that my wife hath never a winter gown, being almost ashamed of it, that she should be seen in a taffeta one; when all the world wears moyre;—­[By moyre is meant mohair.-B.]—­so to prayers and to bed, but we could not come to any resolution what to do therein, other than to appear as she is.

30th.  Up and to the office, whither Sir W. Pen came, the first time that he has come downstairs since his late great sickness of the gout.  We with Mr. Coventry sat till noon, then I to the Change ward, to see what play was there, but I liked none of them, and so homeward, and calling in at Mr, Rawlinson’s, where he stopped me to dine with him and two East India officers of ships and Howell our turner.  With the officers I had good discourse, particularly of the people at the Cape of Good Hope, of whom they of their own knowledge do tell me these one or two things:  viz . . . . that they never sleep lying, but always sitting upon the ground, that their speech is not so articulate as ours, but yet [they] understand one another well, that they paint themselves all over with the grease the Dutch sell them (who have a fort there) and soot.  After dinner drinking five or six glasses of wine, which liberty I now take till I begin my oath again, I went home and took my