27th.  Busy all the morning at my office.  At noon dined, and then I out of doors to my bookseller in Duck Lane, but su moher not at home, and it was pretty here to see a pretty woman pass by with a little wanton look, and je did sequi her round about the street from Duck Lane to Newgate Market, and then elle did turn back, and je did lose her.  And so to see my Lord Crew, whom I find up; and did wait on him; but his face sore, but in hopes to do now very well again.  Thence to Cooper’s, where my wife’s picture almost done, and mighty fine indeed.  So over the water with my wife, and Deb., and Mercer, to Spring-Garden, and there eat and walked; and observe how rude some of the young gallants of the town are become, to go into people’s arbours where there are not men, and almost force the women; which troubled me, to see the confidence of the vice of the age:  and so we away by water, with much pleasure home.  This day my plate-maker comes with my four little plates of the four Yards, cost me L5, which troubles me, but yet do please me also.

28th.  All the morning at the office, and after dinner with my wife and Deb. to the Duke of York’s playhouse, and there saw “The Slighted Maid,” but a mean play; and thence home, there being little pleasure now in a play, the company being but little.  Here we saw Gosnell, who is become very homely, and sings meanly, I think, to what I thought she did.

29th.  Busy all the morning at the office.  So home to dinner, where Mercer, and there comes Mr. Swan, my old acquaintance, and dines with me, and tells me, for a certainty, that Creed is to marry Betty Pickering, and that the thing is concluded, which I wonder at, and am vexed for.  So he gone I with my wife and two girls to the King’s house, and saw “The Mad Couple,” a mean play altogether, and thence to Hyde Parke, where but few coaches, and so to the New Exchange, and thence by water home, with much pleasure, and then to sing in the garden, and so home to bed, my eyes for these four days being my trouble, and my heart thereby mighty sad.

30th.  Up, and by water to White Hall.  There met with Mr. May, who was giving directions about making a close way for people to go dry from the gate up into the House, to prevent their going through the galleries; which will be very good.  I staid and talked with him about the state of the King’s Offices in general, and how ill he is served, and do still find him an excellent person, and so back to the office.  So close at my office all the afternoon till evening, and then out with my wife to the New Exchange, and so back again.