boy singing love songs in that glorious gallery, whilst about twenty
of the great courtiers and other dissolute persons were at basset
round a large table, a bank of at least L2,000 in gold before them;
upon which two gentlemen who were with me made reflexions with
astonishment. Six days after was all in the dust."--Diary,
February, 1685.--B.]

After walking up and down the Court with him, it being now dark and past
six at night, I walked to the Swan in the Palace yard and there with much
ado did get a waterman, and so I sent for the Michells, and they come, and
their father Howlett and his wife with them, and there we drank, and so
into the boat, poor Betty's head aching. We home by water, a fine
moonshine and warm night, it having been also a very summer's day for
warmth. I did get her hand to me under my cloak . . . . So there we
parted at their house, and he walked almost home with me, and then I home
and to supper, and to read a little and to bed. My wife tells me Mr.
Frampton is gone to sea, and so she lost her labour to-day in thinking to
hear him preach, which I am sorry for.

28th. Up, and down to the Old Swan, and there drank at Michell's and saw
Betty, and so took boat and to the Temple, and thence to my tailor's and
other places about business in my way to Westminster, where I spent the
morning at the Lords' House door, to hear the conference between the two
Houses about my Lord Mordaunt, of which there was great expectation, many
hundreds of people coming to hear it. But, when they come, the Lords did
insist upon my Lord Mordaunt's having leave to sit upon a stool uncovered
within their burr, and that he should have counsel, which the Commons
would not suffer, but desired leave to report their Lordships' resolution
to the House of Commons; and so parted for this day, which troubled me, I
having by this means lost the whole day. Here I hear from Mr. Hayes that