I grew angry and flung the trenchers about the room, and in a mighty heat
I was: so a clean cloth was laid, and my poor wife very patient, and so to
dinner, and in comes Mrs. Barbara Sheldon, now Mrs. Wood, and dined with
us, she mighty fine, and lives, I perceive, mighty happily, which I am
glad [of] for her sake, but hate her husband for a block-head in his
choice. So away after dinner, leaving my wife and her, and by water to
the Strand, and so to the King's playhouse, where two acts were almost
done when I come in; and there I sat with my cloak about my face, and saw
the remainder of "The Mayd's Tragedy;" a good play, and well acted,
especially by the younger Marshall, who is become a pretty good actor, and
is the first play I have seen in either of the houses since before the
great plague, they having acted now about fourteen days publickly. But I
was in mighty pain lest I should be seen by any body to be at a play.
Soon as done I home, and then to my office awhile, and then home and spent
the night evening my Tangier accounts, much to my satisfaction, and then
to supper, and mighty good friends with my poor wife, and so to bed.

8th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon
home to dinner, and there find Mr. Pierce and his wife and Betty, a pretty
girle, who in discourse at table told me the great Proviso passed the
House of Parliament yesterday; which makes the King and Court mad, the
King having given order to my Lord Chamberlain to send to the playhouses
and bawdy houses, to bid all the Parliament-men that were there to go to
the Parliament presently. This is true, it seems; but it was carried
against the Court by thirty or forty voices. It is a Proviso to the Poll
Bill, that there shall be a Committee of nine persons that shall have the
inspection upon oath, and power of giving others, of all the accounts of
the money given and spent for this warr. This hath a most sad face, and
will breed very ill blood. He tells me, brought in by Sir Robert Howard,
who is one of the King's servants, at least hath a great office, and hath