broke through the wainscoat. Upon this, he had his hand cut off, and was
hanged presently! Here was a gentleman, one Sheres, one come lately from
my Lord Sandwich, with an express; but, Lord! I was almost ashamed to see
him, lest he should know that I have not yet wrote one letter to my Lord
since his going. I had no discourse with him, but after dinner Sir G.
Carteret and I to talk about some business of his, and so I to Mrs.
Martin, where was Mrs. Burroughs, and also fine Mrs. Noble, my partner in
the christening of Martin's child, did come to see it, and there we sat
and talked an hour, and then all broke up and I by coach home, and there
find Mr. Pelling and Howe, and we to sing and good musique till late, and
then to supper, and Howe lay at my house, and so after supper to bed with
much content, only my mind a little troubled at my late breach of vowes,
which however I will pay my forfeits, though the badness of my eyes,
making me unfit to read or write long, is my excuse, and do put me upon
other pleasures and employment which I should refrain from in observation
of my vowes.

9th. Up; and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon comes
Creed to dine with me. After dinner, he and I and my wife to the
Bear-Garden, to see a prize fought there. But, coming too soon, I left
them there and went on to White Hall, and there did some business with the
Lords of the Treasury; and here do hear, by Tom Killigrew and Mr. Progers,
that for certain news is come of Harman's having spoiled nineteen of
twenty-two French ships, somewhere about the Barbadoes, I think they said;
but wherever it is, it is a good service, and very welcome. Here I fell
in talk with Tom Killigrew about musick, and he tells me that he will
bring me to the best musick in England (of which, indeed, he is master),
and that is two Italians and Mrs. Yates, who, he says, is come to sing the
Italian manner as well as ever he heard any: says that Knepp won't take
pains enough, but that she understands her part so well upon the stage,