while,
so that we are at a great stand to think what will become of
things, whether Monk will stand to the Parliament or no. Hence Mons.
L'Impertinent and I to Harper's, and there drank a cup or two to the
King, and to his fair sister Frances--[Frances Butler, the great beauty,
who is sometimes styled. la belle Boteler.]--good health, of whom we had
much discourse of her not being much the worse for the small pox, which
she had this last summer. So home and to bed. This day we are invited to
my uncle Fenner's wedding feast, but went not, this being the 27th year.

18th. A great while at my vial and voice, learning to sing "Fly boy, fly
boy," without book. So to my office, where little to do. In the Hall I
met with Mr. Eglin and one Looker, a famous gardener, servant to my Lord
Salsbury, and among other things the gardener told a strange passage in
good earnest.... Home to dinner, and then went to my Lord's lodgings to
my turret there and took away most of my books, and sent them home by
my maid. Thither came Capt. Holland to me who took me to the Half Moon
tavern and Mr. Southorne, Blackburne's clerk. Thence he took me to the
Mitre in Fleet Street, where we heard (in a room over the music room)
very plainly through the ceiling. Here we parted and I to Mr. Wotton's,
and with him to an alehouse and drank while he told me a great many
stories of comedies that he had formerly seen acted, and the names of
the principal actors, and gave me a very good account of it. Thence to
Whitehall, where I met with Luellin and in the clerk's chamber wrote a
letter to my Lord. So home and to bed. This day two soldiers were hanged
in the Strand for their late mutiny at Somerset-house.

19th (Lord's day). Early in the morning I set my books that I brought
home yesterday up in order in my study. Thence forth to Mr. Harper's to
drink a draft of purle,--[Purl is hot beer flavoured with wormwood or
other aromatic herbs. The name is also given to hot beer flavoured with
gin, sugar, and ginger.]--whither by appointment Monsieur L'Impertinent,
who did intend too upon my desire to go along with me to St.
Bartholomew's, to hear one Mr. Sparks, but it raining very hard we went
to Mr. Gunning's and heard an excellent sermon, and speaking of the
character that the Scripture gives of Ann the mother of the blessed
Virgin, he did there speak largely in commendation of widowhood, and
not as we do to marry two or three wives or husbands, one after another.