t
ships, and the coming out of a fleete of theirs of 50 sayle, that was
ready to come out; but I doubt the truth of it yet. Thence to Sir G.
Carteret, by his invitation to his office, where my Lady was, and dined
with him, and very merry and good people they are, when pleased, as any I
know. After dinner I to the office, where busy till evening, and then
with Balty to Sir G. Carteret's office, and there with Mr. Fenn despatched
the business of Balty's L1500 he received for the contingencies of the
fleete, whereof he received about L253 in pieces of eight at a goldsmith's
there hard by, which did puzzle me and him to tell; for I could not tell
the difference by sight, only by bigness, and that is not always
discernible, between a whole and half-piece and quarterpiece. Having
received this money I home with Balty and it, and then abroad by coach
with my wife and set her down at her father's, and I to White Hall,
thinking there to have seen the Duchess of Newcastle's coming this night
to Court, to make a visit to the Queene, the King having been with her
yesterday, to make her a visit since her coming to town. The whole story
of this lady is a romance, and all she do is romantick. Her footmen in
velvet coats, and herself in an antique dress, as they say; and was the
other day at her own play, "The Humourous Lovers;" the most ridiculous
thing that ever was wrote, but yet she and her Lord mightily pleased with
it; and she, at the end, made her respects to the players from her box,
and did give them thanks. There is as much expectation of her coming to
Court, that so people may come to see her, as if it were the Queen of
Sheba; but I lost my labour, for she did not come this night. So, meeting
Mr. Brisband, he took me up to my Lady Jemimah's chamber, who is let blood
to-day, and so there we sat and talked an hour, I think, very merry and
one odd thing or other, and so away, and I took up my wife at her tailor's
(whose wife is brought to bed, and my wife must be godmother), and so with
much ado got a coach to carry us home, it being late, and so to my
chamber, having little left to do at my office, my eyes being a little
sore by reason of my reading a small printed book the other day after it
was dark, and so to supper and to bed. It comes in my head to set down
that there have been two fires in the City, as I am told for certain, and
it is so, within this week.
12th. Up, and when ready, and to my office, to do a litt
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