there being
nothing in it but the odd accidents that fell out, by a lady's being
bred up in man's apparel, and a man in a woman's. Here was Mrs. Stewart,
who is indeed very pretty, but not like my Lady Castlemayne, for all
that. Thence in the coach to the Parke, where no pleasure; there being
much dust, little company, and one of our horses almost spoiled
by falling down, and getting his leg over the pole; but all mended
presently, and after riding up and down, home. Set Madamoiselle at home;
and we home, and to my office, whither comes Mr. Bland, and pays me the
debt he acknowledged he owed me for my service in his business of
the Tangier Merchant, twenty pieces of new gold, a pleasant sight. It
cheered my heart; and he being gone, I home to supper, and shewed them
my wife; and she, poor wretch, would fain have kept them to look on,
without any other design but a simple love to them; but I thought it not
convenient, and so took them into my own hand. So, after supper, to bed.

3rd. Up, and being ready, went by agreement to Mr. Bland's and there
drank my morning draft in good chocollatte, and slabbering my band sent
home for another, and so he and I by water to White Hall, and walked to
St. James's, where met Creed and Vernatty, and by and by Sir W. Rider,
and so to Mr. Coventry's chamber, and there upon my Lord Peterborough's
accounts, where I endeavoured to shew the folly and punish it as much as
I could of Mr. Povy; for, of all the men in the world, I never knew any
man of his degree so great a coxcomb in such imployments. I see I have
lost him forever, but I value it not; for he is a coxcomb, and, I doubt,
not over honest, by some things which I see; and yet, for all his folly,
he hath the good lucke, now and then, to speak his follies in as
good words, and with as good a show, as if it were reason, and to the
purpose, which is really one of the wonders of my life. Thence walked to
Westminster Hall; and there, in the Lords' House, did in a great crowd,
from ten o'clock till almost three, hear the cause of Mr. Roberts, my
Lord Privy Seal's son, against Win, who by false ways did get the
father of Mr. Roberts's wife (Mr. Bodvill) to give him the estate and
disinherit his daughter. The cause was managed for my Lord Privy Seal by
Finch the Solicitor [General]; but I do really think that he is truly a
man of as great eloquence as ever I heard, or ever hope to hear in all
my life. Thence, after long staying to speak with