of things.  After that Sir W. Pen and I and my Lady Batten and her daughter by land to Redriffe, staying a little at halfway house, and when we came to take boat, found Sir George, &c., to have staid with the barge a great while for us, which troubled us.  Home and to bed.  This month ends with two great secrets under dispute but yet known to very few:  first, Who the King will marry; and What the meaning of this fleet is which we are now sheathing to set out for the southward.  Most think against Algier against the Turk, or to the East Indys against the Dutch who, we hear, are setting out a great fleet thither.

Diaryof Samuel Pepys. 
March
1660-61

March 1st.  All the morning at the office.  Dined at home only upon fish, and Mr. Shepley and Tom Hater with me.  After dinner Mr. Shepley and I in private talking about my Lord’s intentions to go speedily into the country, but to what end we know not.  We fear he is to go to sea with this fleet now preparing.  But we wish that he could get his L4000 per annum settled before he do go.  Then he and I walked into London, he to the Wardrobe and I to Whitefryars, and saw “The Bondman” acted; an excellent play and well done.  But above all that ever I saw, Betterton do the Bond man the best.  Then to my father’s and found my mother ill.  After staying a while with them, I went home and sat up late, spending my thoughts how to get money to bear me out in my great expense at the Coronacion, against which all provide, and scaffolds setting up in every street.  I had many designs in my head to get some, but know not which will take.  To bed.

2d.  Early with Mr. Moore about Sir Paul Neale’s’ business with my uncle and other things all the morning.  Dined with him at Mr. Crew’s, and after dinner I went to the Theatre, where I found so few people (which is strange, and the reason I did not know) that I went out again, and so to Salsbury Court, where the house as full as could be; and it seems it was a new play, “The Queen’s Maske,” wherein there are some good humours:  among others, a good jeer to the old story of the Siege of Troy, making it to be a common country tale.  But above all it was strange to see so little a boy as that was to act Cupid, which is one of the greatest parts in it.  Then home and to bed.

3rd (Lord’s day):  Mr. Woodcocke preached at our church a very good sermon upon the imaginacions of the thoughts of man’s heart being only evil.  So home, where being told that my Lord had sent for me I went, and got there to dine with my Lord, who is to go into the country tomorrow.  I did give up the mortgage made to me by Sir R. Parkhurst for L2,000.  In the Abby all the afternoon.  Then at Mr. Pierces the surgeon, where Shepley and I supped.  So to my Lord’s, who comes in late and tells us how news is come to-day of Mazarin’s being dead, which is very great news and of great consequence.—­[This report of the death of Cardinal Mazarin appears to have been premature, for he did not die until the 9th of March, 1661.]—­I lay tonight with Mr. Shepley here, because of my Lord’s going to-morrow.