save all. Here we sat talking till past one in the morning, and then
home, where my people sat up for me, my wife and all, and so to bed.

15th. This [morning] come Mr. Shepley (newly out of the country) to see
me; after a little discourse with him, I to the office, where we sat all
the morning, and at noon home, and there dined, Shepley with me, and after
dinner I did pay him L70, which he had paid my father for my use in the
country. He being gone, I took coach and to Mrs. Pierce's, where I find
her as fine as possible, and himself going to the ball at night at Court,
it being the Queen's birth-day, and so I carried them in my coach, and
having set them into the house, and gotten Mr. Pierce to undertake the
carrying in my wife, I to Unthanke's, where she appointed to be, and there
told her, and back again about business to White Hall, while Pierce went
and fetched her and carried her in. I, after I had met with Sir W.
Coventry and given him some account of matters, I also to the ball, and
with much ado got up to the loft, where with much trouble I could see very
well. Anon the house grew full, and the candles light, and the King and
Queen and all the ladies set: and it was, indeed, a glorious sight to see
Mrs. Stewart in black and white lace, and her head and shoulders dressed
with dyamonds, and the like a great many great ladies more, only the Queen
none; and the King in his rich vest of some rich silke and silver
trimming, as the Duke of York and all the dancers were, some of cloth of
silver, and others of other sorts, exceeding rich. Presently after the
King was come in, he took the Queene, and about fourteen more couple there
was, and began the Bransles. As many of the men as I can remember
presently, were, the King, Duke of York, Prince Rupert, Duke of Monmouth,
Duke of Buckingham, Lord Douglas,' Mr. [George] Hamilton, Colonell
Russell, Mr. Griffith, Lord Ossory, Lord Rochester; and of the ladies, the
Queene, Duchess of York, Mrs. Stewart, Duchess of Monmouth, Lady Essex
Howard, Mrs. Temples Swedes Embassadress, Lady Arlington; Lord George