The Diary
Chapter List

Chapter_3486

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12th. Up, and by water to Whitehall, where I of the whole Office attended the Duke of York at his meeting with Sir Thomas Allen and several flag-officers, to consider of the manner of managing the war with Algiers; and, it being a thing I was wholly silent in, I did only observe; and find that their manner of discourse on this weighty affair was very mean and disorderly, the Duke of York himself being the man that I thought spoke most to the purpose. Having done here, I up and down the house, talking with this man and that, and then meeting Mr. Sheres, took him to see the fine flowerpot I saw yesterday, and did again offer £20 for it; but he [Verelst] insists upon £50. Thence I took him to St. James’s, but there was no music, but so walked to Whitehall, and, by and by to my wife at Unthanke’s, and with her was Jane, and so to the Cocke, where they, and I, and Sheres, and Tom dined, my wife having a great desire to eat of their soup made of peas, and dined very well, and thence by water to the Bear-Garden, and there happened to sit by Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who is still full of his vainglorious and profane talk. Here we saw a prize fought between a soldier and country fellow, one Warrell, who promised the least in his looks, and performed the most of valour in his boldness and evenness of mind, and smiles in all he did, that ever I saw and we were all both deceived and infinitely taken with him. He did soundly beat the soldier, and cut him over the head. Thence back to Whitehall, mightily pleased, all of us, with this sight, and particularly this fellow, as a most extraordinary man for his temper and evenness in fighting. And there leaving Sheres, we by our own coach home, and after sitting an hour, thrumming upon my viol, and singing, I to bed, and left my wife to do something to a waistcoat and petticoat she is to wear tomorrow. This evening, coming home, we overtook Alderman Backewell’s coach and his lady, and followed them to their house, and there made them the first visit, where they received us with extraordinary civility, and owning the obligation. But I do, contrary to my expectation, find her something a proud and vainglorious woman, in telling the number of her servants and family and expenses: he is also so, but he was ever of that strain. But here he showed me the model of his houses that he is going to build in Cornhill and Lombard Street; but he hath purchased so much there, that it looks like a little town, and must have cost him a great deal of money.