1663-64

Observations

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1663/64 January 1st, At the Coffee-house, where much talking about a very rich widow, young and handsome, of one Sir Nicholas Gold’s, a merchant, lately fallen, and of great courtiers that already look after her her husband not dead a week yet She is reckoned worth £80,000 Went to the Duke’s house, the first play I have been at these six months, according to my last vowe, and here saw the so much cried-up play of Henry the Eighth, which, though I went with resolution to like it, is so simple a thing made up of a great many patches, that, besides the shows and processions in it, there is nothing in the world good or well done.

4th I to my Lord Sandwich’s lodgings, but he not being up, I to the Duke’s chamber, and there by and by to his closet, where since his lady was ill, a little red bed of velvet is brought for him to lie alone, which is a very pretty one After doing business here, I to my Lord’s again, and there spoke with him, and he seems now almost friends again as he used to be Here meeting Mr Pierce, the surgeon, he told me among other Court news, how the Queene is very well again, and that she speaks now very pretty English, and makes her sense out now and then with pretty phrazes as among others this is mightily cried up, that, meaning to say that she did not like such a horse so well as the rest, he being too prancing and full of tricks, she said he did make too much vanity To the Tennis Court, and there saw the King play at Tennis and others but to see how the King’s play was extolled without any cause at all, was a loathsome sight, though sometimes, indeed, he did play very well and deserved to be commended, but such open flattery is beastly Afterwards to St James’s Park, seeing people play at Pell Mell, where it pleased me mightily to hear a gallant, lately come from France, swear at one of his companions for suffering his man (a spruce blade) to be so saucy as to strike a ball while his master was playing on the Mall.

6th This morning I began a practice which I find by the ease I do it with that I shall continue, it saving me money and time, that is, to trimme myself with a razor, which pleases me mightily.

8th We had great pleasure this afternoon among other things to talk our old passages together in Cromwell’s time, and how W Symons did make me laugh and wonder to-day when he told me how he had made shift to keep in, in good esteem and employment, through eight governments in one year, (the year 1659, which were indeed, and he did name them all) and then failed unhappy in the ninth, viz that of the King’s coming in He made good to me the story which Luellin did tell me the other day, of his wife upon her death-bed, how she dreamt of her uncle Scobell, and did foretell, from some discourse she had with him, that she should die four days thence, and not sooner, and did all along say so, and did so Upon the ’Change a great talk there was of one Mr Tryan, an old man, a merchant in Lyme Streete, robbed last night, (his man and maid being gone out after he was a-bed) and gagged and robbed of £1050 in money and about £4000 in jewells, which he had in his house as secunty for money It is believed that his man is guilty of confederacy, by their ready going to his secret till in the desk, wherein the key of his cash-chest lay.

9th By discourse with my wife thought upon inviting my Lord Sandwich to a dinner shortly It will cost me at least ten or twelve pounds, but, however, some arguments of prudence I have, which I shall think again upon before I proceed to that expence.

10th All our discourse to-night was about Mr Tryan’s late being robbed, and that Colonel Turner, (a mad, swearing, confident fellow, well known by all, and by me,) one much indebted to this man for his very livelihood, was the man that either did or plotted it, and the money and things are found in his hand, and he and his wife now in Newgate for it of which we are all glad, so very a known rogue he was.

11th By invitation to St James’s, where, at Mr Coventry’s chamber, I dined with my Lord Barkeley, Sir G Carteret, Sir Edward Turner,¹ Sir Ellis Layton,² and one Mr Seymour, a fine gentleman where admirable good discourse of all sorts, pleasant and serious This morning I stood by the King arguing with a pretty