holy pictures. I saw the
dortoire--[dormitory]--and the cells of the priests, and we went into one;
a very pretty little room, very clean, hung with pictures, set with books.
The Priest was in his cell, with his hair clothes to his skin,
bare-legged, with a sandal! only on, and his little bed without sheets,
and no feather bed; but yet, I thought, soft enough. His cord about his
middle; but in so good company, living with ease, I thought it a very good
life. A pretty library they have. And I was in the refectoire, where
every man his napkin, knife, cup of earth, and basin of the same; and a
place for one to sit and read while the rest are at meals. And into the
kitchen I went, where a good neck of mutton at the fire, and other
victuals boiling. I do not think they fared very hard. Their windows all
looking into a fine garden and the Park; and mighty pretty rooms all. I
wished myself one of the Capuchins. Having seen what we could here, and
all with mighty pleasure, so away with the Almoner in his coach, talking
merrily about the difference in our religions, to White Hall, and there we
left him. I in my Lord Bruncker's coach, he carried me to the Savoy, and
there we parted. I to the Castle Tavern, where was and did come all our
company, Sir W. Batten, [Sir] W. Pen, [Sir] R. Ford, and our Counsel Sir
Ellis Layton, Walt Walker, Dr. Budd, Mr. Holder, and several others, and
here we had a bad dinner of our preparing, and did discourse something of
our business of our prizes, which was the work of the day. I staid till
dinner was over, and there being no use of me I away after dinner without
taking leave, and to the New Exchange, there to take up my wife and
Mercer, and to Temple Bar to the Ordinary, and had a dish of meat for
them, they having not dined, and thence to the King's house, and there saw
"The Numerous Lieutenant," a silly play, I think; only the Spirit in it
that grows very tall, and then sinks again to nothing, having two heads
breeding upon one, and then Knipp's singing, did please us. Here, in a
box above, we spied Mrs. Pierce; and, going out, they called us, and so we
staid for them; and Knipp took us all in, and brought to us Nelly; a most
pretty woman, who acted the great part of Coelia to-day very fine, and did
it pretty well: I kissed her, and so did my wife; and a mighty pretty soul
she is. We also saw Mrs. Halls which is my little Roman-nose black girl,
that is mighty pretty: she is usually ca