very much concerned for this idle fellow, one Greene. After this the King
began to tell stories of the cowardice of the Spaniards in Flanders, when
he was there, at the siege of Mardike and Dunkirke; which was very pretty,
though he tells them but meanly. This being done I to Westminster Hall,
and there staid a little: and then home, and by the way did find with
difficulty the Life of Sir Philip Sidney (the book I mentioned yesterday).
And the bookseller told me that he had sold four, within this week or two,
which is more than ever he sold in all his life of them; and he could not
imagine what should be the reason of it: but I suppose it is from the same
reason of people's observing of this part therein, touching his
prophesying our present condition here in England in relation to the
Dutch, which is very remarkable. So home to dinner, where Balty's wife is
come to town; she come last night and lay at my house, but being weary was
gone to bed before I come home, and so I saw her not before. After dinner
I took my wife and her girl out to the New Exchange, and there my wife
bought herself a lace for a handkercher, which I do give her, of about L3,
for a new year's gift, and I did buy also a lace for a band for myself,
and so home, and there to the office busy late, and so home to my chamber,
where busy on some accounts, and then to supper and to bed. This day my
wife shows me a locket of dyamonds worth about L40, which W. Hewer do
press her to accept, and hath done for a good while, out of his gratitude
for my kindness and hers to him. But I do not like that she should
receive it, it not being honourable for me to do it; and so do desire her
to force him to take it back again, he leaving it against her will
yesterday with her. And she did this evening force him to take it back,
at which she says he is troubled; but, however, it becomes me more to
refuse it, than to let her accept of it. And so I am well pleased with
her returning it him. It is generally believed that France is
endeavouring a firmer league with us than the former, in order to his
going on with his business against Spayne the next year; which I am, and