W. Pen's, by invitation, the first time I have been there, and there find
him and all their guests (of our office only) at dinner, which was a very
bad dinner, and everything suitable, that I never knew people in my life
that make their flutter, that do things so meanly. I was sick to see it,
but was merry at some ridiculous humours of my Lady Batten, who, as being
an ill-bred woman, would take exceptions at anything any body said, and I
made good sport at it. After dinner into the garden and wilderness, which
is like the rest of the house, nothing in order, nor looked after. By and
by comes newes that my Lady Viner was come to see Mrs. Lowther, which I
was glad of, and all the pleasure I had here was to see her, which I did,
and saluted her, and find she is pretty, though not so eminently so as
people talked of her, and of very pretty carriage and discourse. I sat
with them and her an hour talking and pleasant, and then slunk away alone
without taking leave, leaving my wife there to come home with them, and I
to Bartholomew fayre, to walk up and down; and there, among other things,
find my Lady Castlemayne at a puppet-play, "Patient Grizill,"

[The well-known story, first told by Boccaccio, then by Petrarca,
afterwards by Chaucer, and which has since become proverbial. Tom
Warton, writing about 1770, says, "I need not mention that it is to
this day represented in England, on a stage of the lowest species,
and of the highest antiquity: I mean at a puppet show" ("Hist. of
English Poetry," sect. xv.).--B.]

and the street full of people expecting her coming out. I confess I did
wonder at her courage to come abroad, thinking the people would abuse her;
but they, silly people! do not know her work she makes, and therefore
suffered her with great respect to take coach, and she away, without any
trouble at all, which I wondered at, I confess. I only walked up and
down, and, among others, saw Tom Pepys, the turner, who hath a shop, and I