22nd.  All the morning at the office.  At noon with my wife and Pall to my father’s to dinner, where Dr. Thos.  Pepys and my coz Snow and Joyce Norton.  After dinner came The.  Turner, and so I home with her to her mother, good woman, whom I had not seen through my great neglect this half year, but she would not be angry with me.  Here I staid all the afternoon talking of the King’s being married, which is now the town talk, but I believe false.  In the evening Mrs. The. and Joyce took us all into the coach home, calling in Bishopsgate Street, thinking to have seen a new Harpsicon—­[The harpsichord is an instrument larger than a spinet, with two or three strings to a note.]—­that she had a making there, but it was not done, and so we did not see it.  Then to my home, where I made very much of her, and then she went home.  Then my wife to Sir W. Batten’s, and there sat a while; he having yesterday sent my wife half-a-dozen pairs of gloves, and a pair of silk stockings and garters, for her Valentine’s gift.  Then home and to bed.

23rd.  This my birthday, 28 years.  This morning Sir W. Batten, Pen, and I did some business, and then I by water to Whitehall, having met Mr. Hartlibb by the way at Alderman Backwell’s.  So he did give me a glass of Rhenish wine at the Steeleyard, and so to Whitehall by water.  He continues of the same bold impertinent humour that he was always of and will ever be.  He told me how my Lord Chancellor had lately got the Duke of York and Duchess, and her woman, my Lord Ossory’s and a Doctor, to make oath before most of the judges of the kingdom, concerning all the circumstances of their marriage.  And in fine, it is confessed that they were not fully married till about a month or two before she was brought to bed; but that they were contracted long before, and time enough for the child to be legitimate.

     [The Duke of York’s marriage took place September 3rd, 1660.  Anne
     Hyde was contracted to the Duke at Breda, November 24th, 1659.]

But I do not hear that it was put to the judges to determine whether it was so or no.  To my Lord and there spoke to him about his opinion of the Light, the sea-mark that Captain Murford is about, and do offer me an eighth part to concern myself with it, and my Lord do give me some encouragement in it, and I shall go on.  I dined herewith Mr. Shepley and Howe.  After dinner to Whitehall Chappell with Mr. Child, and there did hear Captain Cooke and his boy make a trial of an Anthem against tomorrow, which was brave musique.  Then by water to Whitefriars to the Play-house, and there saw “The Changeling,” the first time it hath been acted these twenty years, and it takes exceedingly.  Besides, I see the gallants do begin to be tyred with the vanity and pride of the theatre actors who are indeed grown very proud and rich.  Then by link home, and there to my book awhile and to bed.  I met to-day with Mr. Townsend, who tells me that the old man is yet