at home I found my wife dressing by appointment by her woman--[Mrs.
Gosnell.]--that I think is to be, and her other sister being here to-day
with her and my wife's brother, I took Mr. Creed, that came to dine, to an
ordinary behind the Change, and there dined together, and after dinner
home and there spent an hour or two till almost dark, talking with my
wife, and making Mrs. Gosnell sing; and then, there being no coach to be
got, by water to White Hall; but Gosnell not being willing to go through
bridge, we were forced to land and take water, again, and put her and her
sister ashore at the Temple. I am mightily pleased with her humour and
singing. At White Hall by appointment, Mr. Creed carried my wife and I to
the Cockpitt, and we had excellent places, and saw the King, Queen, Duke
of Monmouth, his son, and my Lady Castlemaine, and all the fine ladies;
and "The Scornfull Lady," well performed. They had done by eleven
o'clock, and it being fine moonshine, we took coach and home, but could
wake nobody at my house, and so were fain to have my boy get through one
of the windows, and so opened the door and called up the maids, and went
to supper and to bed, my mind being troubled at what my wife tells me,
that her woman will not come till she hears from her mother, for I am so
fond of her that I am loth now not to have her, though I know it will be a
great charge to me which I ought to avoid, and so will make it up in other
things. So to bed.

18th. Up and to the office, where Mr. Phillip the lawyer came to me, but
I put him off to the afternoon. At noon I dined at Sir W. Batten's, Sir
John Minnes being here, and he and I very kind, but I every day expect to
pull a crow with him about our lodgings. My mind troubled about Gosnell
and my law businesses. So after dinner to Mr. Phillips his chamber, where
he demands an abatement for Piggott's money, which vexes me also, but I
will not give it him without my father's consent, which I will write to
him to-night about, and have done it. Here meeting my uncle Thomas, he