and her very merry discoursing of the late play of Henry the 5th, which
they conclude the best that ever was made, but confess with me that
Tudor's being dismissed in the manner he is is a great blemish to the
play. I am mightily pleased with the Doctor, for he is the only man I
know that I could learn to pronounce by, which he do the best that ever I
heard any man. Thence home and to the office late, and so to supper and
to bed. My Lady Pen came hither first to-night to Sir W. Pen's lodgings.

18th. Lay too long in bed, till 8 o'clock, then up and Mr. Reeve came and
brought an anchor and a very fair loadstone. He would have had me bought
it, and a good stone it is, but when he saw that I would not buy it he
said he [would] leave it for me to sell for him. By and by he comes to
tell me that he had present occasion for L6 to make up a sum, and that he
would pay me in a day or two, but I had the unusual wit to deny him, and
so by and by we parted, and I to the office, where busy all the morning
sitting. Dined alone at home, my wife going to-day to dine with Mrs.
Pierce, and thence with her and. Mrs. Clerke to see a new play, "The
Court Secret." I busy all the afternoon, toward evening to Westminster,
and there in the Hall a while, and then to my barber, willing to have any
opportunity to speak to Jane, but wanted it. So to Mrs. Pierces, who was
come home, and she and Mrs. Clerke busy at cards, so my wife being gone
home, I home, calling by the way at the Wardrobe and met Mr. Townsend, Mr.
Moore and others at the Taverne thereby, and thither I to them and spoke
with Mr. Townsend about my boy's clothes, which he says shall be soon
done, and then I hope I shall be settled when I have one in the house that
is musicall. So home and to supper, and then a little to my office, and
then home to bed. My wife says the play she saw is the worst that ever
she saw in her life.

19th. Up and to the office, where Mr. Coventry and Sir W. Pen and I sat