and my heart pleased to see Betty. But I have not been so merry a very
great while as with them, every thing pleasing me there as much as among
so mean company I could be pleased. After dinner I fell to read the Acts
about the building of the City again;

[Burnet wrote ("History of his Own Time," book ii.): "An act passed
in this session for rebuilding the city of London, which gave Lord
Chief Justice Hale a great reputation, for it was drawn with so true
a judgment, and so great foresight, that the whole city was raised
out of its ashes without any suits of law."]

and indeed the laws seem to be very good, and I pray God I may live to see
it built in that manner! Anon with much content home, walking with my
wife and her woman, and there to my office, where late doing much
business, and then home to supper and to bed. This morning I hear that
our discourse of peace is all in the dirt; for the Dutch will not like of
the place, or at least the French will not agree to it; so that I do
wonder what we shall do, for carry on the war we cannot. I long to hear
the truth of it to-morrow at Court.

20th. Up, with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen by coach to White Hall, by
the way observing Sir W. Pen's carrying a favour to Sir W. Coventry, for
his daughter's wedding, and saying that there was others for us, when we
will fetch them, which vexed me, and I am resolved not to wear it when he
orders me one. His wedding hath been so poorly kept, that I am ashamed of
it; for a fellow that makes such a flutter as he do. When we come to the
Duke of York here, I heard discourse how Harris of his play-house is sick,
and everybody commends him, and, above all things, for acting the
Cardinall. Here they talk also how the King's viallin,--[violin]--
Bannister, is mad that the King hath a Frenchman come to be chief of some