talking with Mr. Moore in the parley,
reading of the King's and Chancellor's late speeches at the proroguing
of the Houses of Parliament. And while I was reading, news was brought
me that my Lord Sandwich is come and gone up to my Lady, which put me
into great suspense of joy, so I went up waiting my Lord's coming out of
my Lady's chamber, which by and by he did, and looks very well, and my
soul is glad to see him. He very merry, and hath left the King and Queen
at Portsmouth, and is come up to stay here till next Wednesday, and then
to meet the King and Queen at Hampton Court. So to dinner, Mr. Browne,
Clerk of the House of Lords, and his wife and brother there also; and my
Lord mighty merry; among other things, saying that the Queen is a very
agreeable lady, and paints still. After dinner I showed him my letter
from Teddiman about the news from Argier, which pleases him exceedingly;
and he writ one to the Duke of York about it, and sent it express. There
coming much company after dinner to my Lord, my wife and I slunk away to
the Opera, where we saw "Witt in a Constable," the first time that it is
acted; but so silly a play I never saw I think in my life. After it was
done, my wife and I to the puppet play in Covent Garden, which I saw
the other day, and indeed it is very pleasant. Here among the fidlers I
first saw a dulcimere

[The dulcimer (or psaltery) consisted of a flat box, acting as a
resonating chamber, over which strings of wire were stretched: These
were struck by little hammers.]

played on with sticks knocking of the strings, and is very pretty. So by
water home, and supped with Sir William Pen very merry, and so to bed.

24th. To the Wardrobe, and there again spoke with my Lord, and saw W.
Howe, who is grown a very pretty and is a sober fellow. Thence abroad
with Mr. Creed, of whom I informed myself of all I had a mind to know.
Among other things, the great difficulty my Lord hath been in all this
summer for lack of good and full orders from the King; and I doubt our
Lords of the Councell do not mind things as the late powers did, but
their pleasures or profit more. That the Juego de Toros is a simple
sport, yet the greatest in Spain. That the Queen hath given no rewards
to any of the captains or officers, but only to my Lord Sandwich; and
that was a bag of gold, which was no honourable present, of about L1400
sterling. How recluse the Queen hath ever been, and all the voyage never
come