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tunity of doing it after seeing all their answers； though this do give me occasion to alter very little。 This done； he to write it over； and I to the office； where late； and then home； and he had finished it。 And then he to read to me the Life of Archbishop Laud； wrote by Dr。 Heylin； which is a shrewd book； but that which I believe will do the Bishops in general no great good； but hurt； it pleads so much for Popery。
18th。 To St。 James's； and there took a turn or two in the Park； and then up to the Duke of York； and there had opportunity of delivering my answer to his late letter； which he did not read； but give to Mr。 Wren； as looking on it as a thing I needed not have done； but only that I might not give occasion to the rest to suspect my communication with the Duke of York against them。 So now I am at rest in that matter； and shall be more when my copies are finished of their answers。
19th。 To the King's playhouse； and there saw 〃The Silent Woman；〃 the best comedy； I think； that ever was wrote： and sitting by Shadwell ＇Thomas Shadwell； the dramatic writer。 Ob。 1692。＇ the poet； he was big with admiration of it。 Here was my Lord Brouncker and W。 Pen and their ladies in the box； being grown roughly kind of a sudden； but； God knows； it will last but a little while； I dare swear。 Knipp did her part mighty well。 All the news now is that Mr。 Trevor is for certain to be Secretary in Morrice's place； which the Duke of York did himself tell me yesterday； and also that Parliament is to be adjourned to the 1st of March； which do please me well； hoping thereby to get my things in a little better order than I should have done； and the less attendances at that end of the town in winter。
20th。 To church； and thence home to dinner； staying till past one o'clock for Harris； whom I invited； and to bring Shadwell the poet with him； but they came not； and so a good dinner lost through my own folly。 And so to dinner alone； having since church heard the boy read over Dryden's Reply to Sir R。 Howard's Answer about his Essay of Poesy； and a Letter in answer to that； the last whereof is mighty silly； in behalf of Howard。 The Duchesse of Monmouth is at this time in great trouble of the shortness of her lame leg； which is likely to grow shorter and shorter； that she will never recover it。
21st。 To St。 James's； and there the Duke of York did of his own accord come to me and tell me that he had read and do like of my answers to the objections which he did give me the other day about the Navy： and so did Sir W。 Coventry too； who told me that the Duke of York had shown him them。 To Southwarke…fair； very dirty； and there saw the puppet…show of Whittington； which was pretty to see： and how that idle thing do work upon people that see it； and even myself too！ And thence to Jacob Hall's dancing on the ropes； where I saw such action as I never saw before； and mightily worth seeing； and here took acquaintance with a fellow that carried me to a tavern； whither come the musick of this booth； and by and by Jacob Hall himself； with whom I had a mind to speak； to hear whether he had ever any mischief by falls in his time。 He told me； 〃Yes； many； but never to the breaking of a limb。〃 He seems a mighty strong man。 So giving them a bottle or two of wine； I away。 So by water by link…light through the bridge； it being mighty dark； but still weather； and so home。 This day came out first the new five…pieces in gold； coined by the Guiny Company； and I did get two pieces of Mr。 Holder。
22nd。 This day Mr。 Wren did give me at the Board Commissioner Middleton's answer to the Duke of York's great letter； so that now I have all of them。
23rd。 At noon comes Mr。 Evelyn to me about some business with the office； and there in discourse tells me of his loss to the value of 500l。 which he hath met with in a late attempt of making of bricks upon an adventure with others； by which he presumed to have got a great deal of money： so that I see the most ingenious men may sometimes be mistaken。
27th。 In the Park； where I met Mr。 Wren； and he and I walked together in the Pell…Mell； it being most summer weather that ever was seen。 And here talking of several things； of the corruption of the Court； and how unfit it is for ingenuous men； and himself particularly； to live in it； where a man cannot live but he must spend； and cannot get suitably without breach of his honour： and he did thereupon tell me of the basest thing of my Lord Barkeley that ever was heard of any manwhich was this： how the Duke of York's Commissioners do let his wine…licenses at a bad rate； and being offered a better； they did persuade the Duke of York to give some satisfaction to the former to quit it； and let it to the latter； which being done； my Lord Barkeley did make the bargain for the former to have 1500l。 a…year to quit it； whereof since it is come to light that they were to have but 800l。 and himself 700l。； which the Duke of York hath ever since for some years paid； though the second bargain hath been broken； and the Duke of York lost by it half of what the first was。 He told me that there had been a seeming accommodation between the Duke of York and the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Arlington； the two latter desiring it； but yet that there is not true agreement between them； but they do labour to bring in all new creatures into play； and the Duke of York do oppose it。 Thence； he gone； I to the Queene's chapel； and there heard some good singing； and so to White Hall； and saw the King and Queene at dinner： and thence with Sir Stephen Fox to dinner； and the Cofferer with us； and there mighty kind usage and good discourse。 Thence spent all the afternoon walking in the Park； and then in the evening at Court on the Queene's side； and there met Mr。 Godolphin； who tells me that the news is true we heard yesterday of my Lord Sandwich's being come to Mount's…bay； in Cornwall。 This night； in the Queene's drawing…room； my Lord Brouncker told me the difference that is now between the three Embassadors here； the Venetian； French； and Spaniard； the third not being willing to make a visit to the first； because he would not receive him at the door； who is willing to give him； as much respect as he did to the French； who was used no otherwise； and who refuses now to take more of him； upon being desired thereto in order to the making an accommodation in this matter。
28th。 Knipp's maid comes to me to tell me that the women's day at the playhouse is to…day； and that therefore I must be there to encrease their profit。 By water to St。 James's； and there had good opportunity of speaking with the Duke of York； who desires me again talking on that matter； to prepare something for him to do for the better managing of our office； telling me that my Lord Keeper and he talking about it yesterday； my Lord Keeper did advise him to do so； it being better to come from him than otherwise； which I have promised to do。 Thence to my Lord Burlington's house； the first time I ever was there； it being the house built by Sir John Denham； next to Clarendon…house； And here I visited my Lord Hinchingbroke and his lady； Mr。 Sidney Montagu being last night come to town unexpectedly from Mount's…bay； where he