and it put me into much fear and trouble, but with a great many hands and
pains it was soon stopped.] At noon home to dinner, and presently to the
office to despatch my business, and also we sat all the afternoon to
examine the loss of The Bredagh, which was done by as plain negligence as
ever ship was. We being rose, I entering my letters and getting the
office swept and a good fire made and abundance of candles lighted, I
home, where most of my company come of this end of the town-Mercer and her
sister, Mr. Batelier and Pembleton (my Lady Pen, and Pegg, and Mr.
Lowther, but did not stay long, and I believe it was by Sir W. Pen's
order; for they had a great mind to have staid), and also Captain Rolt.
And, anon, at about seven or eight o'clock, comes Mr. Harris, of the
Duke's playhouse, and brings Mrs. Pierce with him, and also one dressed
like a country-mayde with a straw hat on; which, at first, I could not
tell who it was, though I expected Knipp: but it was she coming off the
stage just as she acted this day in "The Goblins;" a merry jade. Now my
house is full, and four fiddlers that play well. Harris I first took to
my closet; and I find him a very curious and understanding person in all
pictures and other things, and a man of fine conversation; and so is Rolt.
So away with all my company down to the office, and there fell to dancing,
and continued at it an hour or two, there coming Mrs. Anne Jones, a
merchant's daughter hard by, who dances well, and all in mighty good
humour, and danced with great pleasure; and then sung and then danced, and
then sung many things of three voices--both Harris and Rolt singing their
parts excellently. Among other things, Harris sung his Irish song--the
strangest in itself, and the prettiest sung by him, that ever I heard.
Then to supper in the office, a cold, good supper, and wondrous merry.
Here was Mrs. Turner also, but the poor woman sad about her lodgings, and
Mrs. Markham: after supper to dancing again and singing, and so continued
till almost three in the morning, and then, with extraordinary pleasure,
broke up only towards morning, Knipp fell a little ill, and so my wife