about getting a ship to carry my Lord’s deals to Lynne, and we have chosen the Gift.  Thence at noon to my Lord’s, where my Lady not well, so I eat a mouthfull of dinner there, and thence to the Theatre, and there sat in the pit among the company of fine ladys, &c.; and the house was exceeding full, to see Argalus and Parthenia, the first time that it hath been acted:  and indeed it is good, though wronged by my over great expectations, as all things else are.  Thence to my father’s to see my mother, who is pretty well after her journey from Brampton.  She tells me my aunt is pretty well, yet cannot live long.  My uncle pretty well too, and she believes would marry again were my aunt dead, which God forbid.  So home.

Diaryof Samuel Pepys. 
February
1660-61

February 1st (Friday).  A full office all this morning, and busy about answering the Commissioners of Parliament to their letter, wherein they desire to borrow two clerks of ours, which we will not grant them.  After dinner into London and bought some books, and a belt, and had my sword new furbished.  To the alehouse with Mr. Brigden and W. Symons.  At night home.  So after a little music to bed, leaving my people up getting things ready against to-morrow’s dinner.

2nd.  Early to Mr. Moore, and with him to Sir Peter Ball, who proffers my uncle Robert much civility in letting him continue in the grounds which he had hired of Hetley who is now dead.  Thence home, where all things in a hurry for dinner, a strange cook being come in the room of Slater, who could not come.  There dined here my uncle Wight and my aunt, my father and mother, and my brother Tom, Dr. Fairbrother and Mr. Mills, the parson, and his wife, who is a neighbour’s daughter of my uncle Robert’s, and knows my Aunt Wight and all her and my friends there; and so we had excellent company to-day.  After dinner I was sent for to Sir G. Carteret’s, where he was, and I found the Comptroller, who are upon writing a letter to the Commissioners of Parliament in some things a rougher stile than our last, because they seem to speak high to us.  So the Comptroller and I thence to a tavern hard by, and there did agree upon drawing up some letters to be sent to all the pursers and Clerks of the Cheques to make up their accounts.  Then home; where I found the parson and his wife gone.  And by and by the rest of the company, very well pleased, and I too; it being the last dinner I intend to make a great while, it having now cost me almost L15 in three dinners within this fortnight.  In the evening comes Sir W. Pen, pretty merry, to sit with me and talk, which we did for an hour or two, and so good night, and I to bed.