11th. At the office this morning, Sir G. Carteret with us; and we agreed upon a letter to the Duke of York, to tell him the sad condition of this office for want of money; how men are not able to serve us more without some money; and that now the credit of the office is brought so low, that none will sell us any thing without our personal security given for the same.

12th. Wednesday, a day kept between a fast and a feast, the Bishops not being ready enough to keep the fast for foule weather before fair weather come; and so they were forced to keep it between both. Then to White Hall, where I met my Lord, who told me he must have £ 300 laid out in cloth, to give in Barbary, as presents among the Turkes.

27th. This day Mr Holden sent me a bever, which cost me £ 4 5s.

28th. Went to Moorefields, and there walked, and stood and saw the wrestling, which I never saw so much of before, between the north and west countrymen.

29th. Mr Chetwind fell commending of Hooker’s Ecclesiastical Polity as the best book, and the only one that made him a Christian, which puts me upon the buying of it, which I will do shortly.

30th (Lord’s day). To church, where we observe the trade of briefs is come now up to so constant a course every Sunday, that we resolve to give no more to them. This day the Portuguese Embassador come to White Hall to take leave of the King; he being now going to end all with the Queen, and to send her over.

July 2nd. Went to Sir William Davenant’s³⁵ Opera; this being the fourth day that it hath begun, and the first that I have seen it. Today was acted the second part of The Siege of Rhodes.³⁶ We staid a very great while for the King and Queen of Bohemia. And by the breaking of a board over our heads, we had a great deal of dust fell into the ladies’ necks and the men’s haire, which made good sport. The King being come, the scene opened; which indeed is very fine and magnificent, and well acted, all but the Eunuche, who was so much out that he was hissed off the stage.

3rd. Dined with my Lady, who is in some³⁷ mourning for her brother, Mr Saml. Crewe, who died yesterday of the spotted fever.

4th. I went to the theatre, and there I saw Claracilla³⁸ (the first time I ever saw it,) well acted. But strange to see this house, that used to be so thronged, now empty since the Opera begun; and so will continue for a while, I believe.

6th. Waked this morning with news, brought me by a messenger on purpose, that my uncle Robert³⁹ is dead; so I set out on horseback, and got well by nine o’clock to Brampton, where I found my father well. My uncle’s corps in a coffin standing upon joynt-stooles in the chimney in the hall; but it begun to smell, and so I caused it to be set forth in the yard all night, and watched by my aunt.

7th (Lord’s day). In the morning my father and I read the will; where, though he gives me nothing at present till my father’s death, or at least very little, yet I am glad to see that he hath done so well for us all, and well to the rest of his kindred. After that done, we went about getting things, as ribbands and gloves, ready for the burial. Which in the afternoon was done; where, it being Sunday, all people far and near come in; and in the greatest disorder that ever I saw, we made shift to serve them with what we had of wine and other things; and then to carry him to the church, where Mr Taylor buried him, and Mr Turner preached a funerall sermon.

14th. To Hinchingbroke, which is now all in dirt, because of my Lord’s building, which will make it very magnificent. Back to Brampton.

15th. Up by three o’clock this morning, and rode to Cambridge to King’s College chappel, where I found the scholars in their surplices at the service with the organs, which is a strange sight to what it used in