old, I perceive, visibly. So time do alter,
and do doubtless the like in myself. This morning
the House is upon the City Bill, and they say hath
passed it, though I am sorry that I did not think
to put somebody in mind of moving for the churches
to be allotted according to the convenience of the
people, and not to gratify this Bishop, or that College.
Thence by water to the New Exchange, where bought
a pair of shoe-strings, and so to Mr. Pierces, where
invited, and there was Knepp and Mrs. Foster and here
dined, but a poor, sluttish dinner, as usual, and so
I could not be heartily merry at it: here saw
her girl’s picture, but it is mighty far short
of her boy’s, and not like her neither; but
it makes Hales’s picture of her boy appear a
good picture. Thence to White Hall, walked with
Brisband, who dined there also, and thence I back to
the King’s playhouse, and there saw “The
Virgin Martyr,” and heard the musick that I
like so well, and intended to have seen Knepp, but
I let her alone; and having there done, went to Mrs.
Pierces back again, where she was, and there I found
her on a pallet in the dark . . . , that is Knepp.
And so to talk; and by and by did eat some curds and
cream, and thence away home, and it being night, I
did walk in the dusk up and down, round through our
garden, over Tower Hill, and so through Crutched Friars,
three or four times, and once did meet Mercer and
another pretty lady, but being surprized I could say
little to them,, although I had an opportunity of
pleasing myself with them, but left them, and then
I did see our Nell, Payne’s daughter, and her
je did desire venir after me, and so elle did see
me to, Tower Hill to our back entry there that comes
upon the degres entrant into nostra garden . . .
, and so parted, and je home to put up things against
to-morrow’s carrier for my wife; and, among others,
a very fine salmon-pie, sent me by Mr. Steventon,
W. Hewer’s uncle, and so to bed.
7th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning.
At noon home to dinner, and thither I sent for Mercer
to dine with me, and after dinner she and I called
Mrs. Turner, and I carried them to the Duke of York’s
house, and there saw “The Man’s the Master,”
which proves, upon my seeing it again, a very good
play. Thence called Knepp from the King’s
house, where going in for her, the play being done,
I did see Beck Marshall come dressed, off of the stage,
and looks mighty fine, and pretty, and noble:
and also Nell, in her boy’s clothes, mighty pretty.
But, Lord! their confidence! and how many men do
hover about them as soon as they come off the stage,
and how confident they are in their talk! Here
I did kiss the pretty woman newly come, called Pegg,
that was Sir Charles Sidly’s mistress, a mighty
pretty woman, and seems, but is not, modest.
Here took up Knepp into our coach, and all of us with
her to her lodgings, and thither comes Bannister with
a song of hers, that he hath set in Sir Charles Sidly’s