tand my Aunt Fenner is upon
the point of death.

17th. At the Privy Seal, where we had a seal this morning. Then met with
Ned Pickering, and walked with him into St. James's Park (where I
had not been a great while), and there found great and very noble
alterations. And, in our discourse, he was very forward to complain and
to speak loud of the lewdness and beggary of the Court, which I am sorry
to hear, and which I am afeard will bring all to ruin again. So he and I
to the Wardrobe to dinner, and after dinner Captain Ferrers and I to the
Opera, and saw "The Witts" again, which I like exceedingly. The Queen
of Bohemia was here, brought by my Lord Craven. So the Captain and I and
another to the Devil tavern and drank, and so by coach home. Troubled in
mind that I cannot bring myself to mind my business, but to be so much
in love of plays. We have been at a great loss a great while for a
vessel that I sent about a month ago with, things of my Lord's to Lynn,
and cannot till now hear of them, but now we are told that they are put
into Soale Bay, but to what purpose I know not.

18th (Lord's day). To our own church in the morning and so home to
dinner, where my father and Dr. Tom Pepys came to me to dine, and were
very merry. After dinner I took my wife and Mr. Sidney to my Lady to
see my Lord Hinchingbroke, who is now pretty well again, and sits up and
walks about his chamber. So I went to White Hall, and there hear that my
Lord General Monk continues very ill: so I went to la belle Pierce
and sat with her; and then to walk in St. James's Park, and saw great
variety of fowl which I never saw before and so home. At night fell to
read in "Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity," which Mr. Moore did give me
last Wednesday very handsomely bound; and which I shall read with great
pains and love for his sake. So to supper and to bed.

19th. At the office all the morning; at noon the children are sent for
by their mother my Lady Sandwich to dinner, and my wife goes along with
them by coach, and she to my father's and dines there, and from thence
with them to see Mrs. Cordery, who do invite them before my father goes
into the country, and thither I should have gone too but that I am sent
for to the Privy Seal, and there I found a thing of my Lord Chancellor's

[This "thing" was probably one of those large grants which Clarendon
quietly, or, as he himself says, "without noise or scandal,"
procured from the king. Besides