er, W. Hewer with us, and then to
read myself to sleep again, and then to bed, and mightily troubled the
most of the night with fears of fire, which I cannot get out of my
head to this day since the last great fire. I did this night give the
waterman who uses to carry me 10s. at his request, for the painting of
his new boat, on which shall be my arms.

25th. (Ladyday.) Up, and with Sir W. Batten and [Sir] W. Pen by coach to
Exeter House to our lawyers to have consulted about our trial to-morrow,
but missed them, so parted, and [Sir] W. Pen and I to Mr. Povy's about a
little business of [Sir] W. Pen's, where we went over Mr. Povy's
house, which lies in the same good condition as ever, which is most
extraordinary fine, and he was now at work with a cabinet-maker, making
of a new inlaid table. Having seen his house, we away, having in our way
thither called at Mr. Lilly's, who was working; and indeed his pictures
are without doubt much beyond Mr. Hales's, I think I may say I am
convinced: but a mighty proud man he is, and full of state. So home, and
to the office, and by and by to dinner, a poor dinner, my wife and I, at
Sir W. Pen's, and then he and I before to Exeter House, where I do not
stay, but to the King's playhouse; and by and by comes Mr. Lowther
and his wife and mine, and into a box, forsooth, neither of them being
dressed, which I was almost ashamed of. Sir W. Pen and I in the pit, and
here saw "The Mayden Queene" again; which indeed the more I see the more
I like, and is an excellent play, and so done by Nell, her merry part,
as cannot be better done in nature, I think. Thence home, and there I
find letters from my brother, which tell me that yesterday when he wrote
my mother did rattle in the throat so as they did expect every moment
her death, which though I have a good while expected did much surprise
me, yet was obliged to sup at Sir W. Pen's and my wife, and there
counterfeited some little mirth, but my heart was sad, and so home after
supper and to bed, and much troubled in my sleep of my being crying by
my mother's bedside, laying my head over hers and crying, she almost
dead and dying, and so waked, but what is strange, methought she had
hair over her face, and not the same kind of face as my mother really
hath, but yet did not consider that, but did weep over her as my mother,
whose soul God have mercy of.

26th. Up with a sad heart in reference to my mother, of whose death I
undoubtedly expect to he