Sir Philip Frowde, who sat next to me, did tell me how Sir H. Belasses is
dead, and that the quarrel between him and Tom Porter, who is fled, did
arise in the ridiculous fashion that I was first told it, which is a
strange thing between two so good friends. The play being done, I took
the women, and Mrs. Corbett, who was with them, by coach, it raining, to
Mrs. Manuel's, the Jew's wife, formerly a player, who we heard sing with
one of the Italians that was there; and, indeed, she sings mightily well;
and just after the Italian manner, but yet do not please me like one of
Mrs. Knepp's songs, to a good English tune, the manner of their ayre not
pleasing me so well as the fashion of our own, nor so natural. Here I sat
a little and then left them, and then by coach home, and my wife not come
home, so the office a little and then home, and my wife come; and so,
saying nothing where I had been, we to supper and pipe, and so to bed.

13th. Up, and to the office, where we sat busy all the morning. At noon
home to dinner all alone, my wife being again at the whitster's. After
dinner with Sir W. Pen to St. James's, where the rest come and attended
the Duke of York, with our usual business; who, upon occasion, told us
that he did expect this night or to-morrow to hear from Breda of the
consummation of the peace. Thence Sir W. Pen and I to the King's house,
and there saw "The Committee," which I went to with some prejudice, not
liking it before, but I do now find it a very good play, and a great deal
of good invention in it; but Lacy's part is so well performed that it
would set off anything. The play being done, we with great pleasure home,
and there I to the office to finish my letters, and then home to my
chamber to sing and pipe till my wife comes home from her washing, which
was nine at night, and a dark and rainy night, that I was troubled at her
staying out so long. But she come well home, and so to supper and to bed.

14th. Up, and to the office, where we held a meeting extraordinary upon