Diary, March 1666/67 | Page 9

a friend of hers. I do love the humour of the jade very well. So to the
office again, not being able to stay, and there about noon my Lord
Bruncker did begin to talk of Carcasse's business. Only Commissioner
Pett, my Lord, and I there, and it was pretty to see how Pett hugged the
occasion of having anything against Sir W. Batten, which I am not
much troubled at, for I love him not neither. Though I did really
endeavour to quash it all I could, because I would prevent their malice
taking effect. My Lord I see is fully resolved to vindicate Carcasse,
though to the undoing of Sir W. Batten, but I believe he will find
himself in a mistake, and do himself no good, and that I shall be glad of,
for though I love the treason I hate the traitor. But he is vexed at my
moving it to the Duke of York yesterday, which I answered well, so as
I think he could not answer. But, Lord! it is pretty to see how Pett hugs
this business, and how he favours my Lord Bruncker; who to my
knowledge hates him, and has said more to his disadvantage, in my
presence, to the King and Duke of York than any man in England, and
so let them thrive one with another by cheating one another, for that is
all I observe among them. Thence home late, and find my wife hath
dined, and she and Mrs. Hewer going to a play. Here was Creed, and he
and I to Devonshire House, to a burial of a kinsman of Sir R. Viner's;
and there I received a ring, and so away presently to Creed, who staid
for me at an alehouse hard by, and thence to the Duke's playhouse,
where he parted, and I in and find my wife and Mrs. Hewer, and sat by
them and saw "The English Princesse, or Richard the Third;" a most
sad, melancholy play, and pretty good; but nothing eminent in it, as
some tragedys are; only little Mis. Davis did dance a jig after the end of
the play, and there telling the next day's play; so that it come in by

force only to please the company to see her dance in boy's 'clothes; and,
the truth is, there is no comparison between Nell's dancing the other
day at the King's house in boy's clothes and this, this being infinitely
beyond the other. Mere was Mr. Clerke and Pierce, to whom one word
only of "How do you," and so away home, Mrs: Hewer with us, and I
to the office and so to [Sir] W. Batten's, and there talked privately with
him and [Sir] W. Pen about business of Carcasse against tomorrow,
wherein I think I did give them proof enough of my ability as well as
friendship to [Sir] W. Batten, and the honour of the office, in my sense
of the rogue's business. So back to finish my office business, and then
home to supper, and to bed. This day, Commissioner Taylor come to
me for advice, and would force me to take ten pieces in gold of him,
which I had no mind to, he being become one of our number at the
Board. This day was reckoned by all people the coldest day that ever
was remembered in England; and, God knows! coals at a very great
price.

8th. Up, and to the Old Swan, where drank at Michell's, but not seeing
her whom I love I by water to White Hall, and there acquainted Sir G.
Carteret betimes what I had to say this day before the Duke of York in
the business of Carcasse, which he likes well of, being a great enemy to
him, and then I being too early here to go to Sir W. Coventry's chamber,
having nothing to say to him, and being able to give him but a bad
account of the business of the office (which is a shame to me, and that
which I shall rue if I do not recover), to the Exchequer about getting a
certificate of Mr. Lanyon's entered at Sir R. Longs office, and strange it
is to see what horrid delays there are at this day in the business of
money, there being nothing yet come from my Lord Treasurer to set the
business of money in action since the Parliament broke off,
notwithstanding the greatness and number of the King's occasions for it.
So to the Swan, and there had three or four baisers of the little ancilla
there, and so to Westminster Hall, where I saw Mr. Martin, the purser,
come through with a picture in his hand, which he had bought, and
observed how all