12th. To my Lord's, and there with him all the morning, and then (he
going out to dinner) I and Mr. Pickering, Creed, and Captain Ferrers to
the Leg in the Palace to dinner, where strange Pickering's impertinences.
Thence the two others and I after a great dispute whither to go, we went
by water to Salsbury Court play-house, where not liking to sit, we went
out again, and by coach to the Theatre, and there saw "The Scornfull
Lady," now done by a woman, which makes the play appear much better than
ever it did to me. Then Creed and I (the other being lost in the crowd)
to drink a cup of ale at Temple Bar, and there we parted, and I (seeing my
father and mother by the way) went home.

13th. At the office all the morning; dined at home, and poor Mr. Wood
with me, who after dinner would have borrowed money of me, but I would
lend none. Then to Whitehall by coach with Sir W. Pen, where we did very
little business, and so back to Mr. Rawlinson's, where I took him and gave
him a cup of wine, he having formerly known Mr. Rawlinson, and here I met
my uncle Wight, and he drank with us, and with him to Sir W. Batten's,
whither I sent for my wife, and we chose Valentines' against to-morrow.

[The observation of St. Valentine's day is very ancient in this
country. Shakespeare makes Ophelia sing

"To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window
To be your Valentine."

Hamlet, act iv. sc. 5.--M. B.]

My wife chose me, which did much please me; my Lady Batten Sir W. Pen, &c.