of this house at all, but do rather choose the Beare. After dinner to
White Hall to the Duke of York, and there did our usual business,
complaining of our standing still in every-respect for want of money, but
no remedy propounded, but so I must still be. Thence with our company to
the King's playhouse, where I left them, and I, my head being full of
to-morrow's dinner, I to my Lord Crew's, there to invite Sir Thomas Crew;
and there met with my Lord Hinchingbroke and his lady, the first time I
spoke to her. I saluted her; and she mighty civil and; with my Lady
Jemimah, do all resolve to be very merry to-morrow at my house. My Lady
Hinchingbroke I cannot say is a beauty, nor ugly; but is altogether a
comely lady enough, and seems very good-humoured, and I mighty glad of the
occasion of seeing her before to-morrow. Thence home; and there find one
laying of my napkins against tomorrow in figures of all sorts, which is
mighty pretty; and, it seems, it is his trade, and he gets much money by
it; and do now and then furnish tables with plate and linnen for a feast
at so much, which is mighty pretty, and a trade I could not have thought
of. I find my wife upon the bed not over well, her breast being broke out
with heat, which troubles her, but I hope it will be for her good. Thence
I to Mrs. Turner, and did get her to go along with me to the French
pewterer's, and there did buy some new pewter against to-morrow; and
thence to White Hall, to have got a cook of her acquaintance, the best in
England, as she says. But after we had with much ado found him, he could
not come, nor was Mr. Gentleman in town, whom next I would have had, nor
would Mrs. Stone let her man Lewis come, whom this man recommended to me;
so that I was at a mighty loss what in the world to do for a cooke,
Philips being out of town. Therefore, after staying here at Westminster a
great while, we back to London, and there to Philips's, and his man
directed us to Mr. Levett's, who could not come, and he sent to two more,
and they could not; so that, at last, Levett as a great kindness did
resolve he would leave his business and come himself, which set me in