2nd (Lord's day). My wife not being well to go to church I walked with my
boy through the City, putting in at several churches, among others at
Bishopsgate, and there saw the picture usually put before the King's book,
put up in the church, but very ill painted, though it were a pretty piece
to set up in a church. I intended to have seen the Quakers, who, they
say, do meet every Lord's day at the Mouth at Bishopsgate; but I could see
none stirring, nor was it fit to aske for the place, so I walked over
Moorefields, and thence to Clerkenwell church, and there, as I wished, sat
next pew to the fair Butler, who indeed is a most perfect beauty still;
and one I do very much admire myself for my choice of her for a beauty,
she having the best lower part of her face that ever I saw all days of my
life. After church I walked to my Lady Sandwich's, through my Lord
Southampton's new buildings in the fields behind Gray's Inn; and, indeed,
they are a very great and a noble work. So I dined with my Lady, and the
same innocent discourse that we used to have, only after dinner, being
alone, she asked me my opinion about Creed, whether he would have a wife
or no, and what he was worth, and proposed Mrs. Wright for him, which, she
says, she heard he was once inquiring after. She desired I would take a
good time and manner of proposing it, and I said I would, though I
believed he would love nothing but money, and much was not to be expected
there, she said. So away back to Clerkenwell Church, thinking to have got
sight of la belle Boteler again, but failed, and so after church walked
all over the fields home, and there my wife was angry with me for not
coming home, and for gadding abroad to look after beauties, she told me
plainly, so I made all peace, and to supper. This evening came Mrs. Lane
(now Martin) with her husband to desire my helpe about a place for him.
It seems poor Mr. Daniel is dead of the Victualling Office, a place too
good for this puppy to follow him in. But I did give him the best words I
could, and so after drinking a glasse of wine sent them going, but with