things my Lord Crew did turn to a place in the Life of Sir Philip Sidney,
wrote by Sir Fulke Greville, which do foretell the present condition of
this nation, in relation to the Dutch, to the very degree of a prophecy;
and is so remarkable that I am resolved to buy one of them, it being,
quite throughout, a good discourse. Here they did talk much of the
present cheapness of corne, even to a miracle; so as their farmers can pay
no rent, but do fling up their lands; and would pay in corne: but, which I
did observe to my Lord, and he liked well of it, our gentry are grown so
ignorant in every thing of good husbandry, that they know not how to
bestow this corne: which, did they understand but a little trade, they
would be able to joyne together, and know what markets there are abroad,
and send it thither, and thereby ease their tenants and be able to pay
themselves. They did talk much of the disgrace the Archbishop is fallen
under with the King, and the rest of the Bishops also. Thence I after
dinner to the Duke of York's playhouse, and there saw "Sir Martin
Mar-all;" which I have seen so often, and yet am mightily pleased with it,
and think it mighty witty, and the fullest of proper matter for mirth that
ever was writ; and I do clearly see that they do improve in their acting
of it. Here a mighty company of citizens, 'prentices, and others; and it
makes me observe, that when I begun first to be able to bestow a play on
myself, I do not remember that I saw so many by half of the ordinary
'prentices and mean people in the pit at 2s. 6d. a-piece as now; I going
for several years no higher than the 12d. and then the 18d. places,
though, I strained hard to go in then when I did: so much the vanity and
prodigality of the age is to be observed in this particular. Thence I to
White Hall, and there walked up and down the house a while, and do hear
nothing of anything done further in this business of the change of
Privy-counsellors: only I hear that Sir G. Savile, one of the Parliament
Committee of nine, for examining the Accounts, is by the King made a Lord,
the Lord Halifax; which, I believe, will displease the Parliament. By and