Abroad,
and stopped at Bear-garden stairs, there to see a prize fought.
But the house so full there was no getting in there, so forced to
go through an alehouse into the pit, where the bears are baited;
and upon a stool did see them fight, which they did very
furiously, a butcher and a waterman. The former had the better
all along till by and by the latter dropped his sword out of his
hand, and the butcher, whether not seeing his sword dropped I
know not, but did give him a cut over the wrist, so as he was
disabled to fight any longer. But, Lord! to see how in a minute
the whole stage was full of watermen to revenge the foul play,
and the butchers to defend their fellow, though most blamed him;
and there they all fell to it to knocking down and cutting many
on each side. It was pleasant to see, but that I stood in the
pit, and feared that in the tumult I might get some hurt. At
last the battle broke up, and so I away. The Duke of Cambridge
very ill still.
28th. Up, and by coach to St. James's, where I find Sir W.
Coventry desirous to have spoke with me.
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