Diary, 1665 N.S. Complete | Page 5

to my house to line our little bitch,
which they make him do in all their sights, which, God forgive me, do
stir my jealousy again, though of itself the thing is a very immodest
sight. However, to cards with my wife a good while, and then to bed.

3rd. Up, and by coach to Sir Ph. Warwicke's, the streete being full of
footballs, it being a great frost, and found him and Mr. Coventry
walking in St. James's Parke. I did my errand to him about the felling of
the King's timber in the forests, and then to my Lord of Oxford, Justice
in Eyre, for his consent thereto, for want whereof my Lord Privy Seale
stops the whole business. I found him in his lodgings, in but an
ordinary furnished house and roome where he was, but I find him to be
a man of good discreet replys. Thence to the Coffee-house, where
certain newes that the Dutch have taken some of our colliers to the
North; some say four, some say seven. Thence to the 'Change a while,

and so home to dinner and to the office, where we sat late, and then I to
write my letters, and then to Sir W. Batten's, who is going out of towne
to Harwich to-morrow to set up a light-house there, which he hath
lately got a patent from the King to set up, that will turne much to his
profit. Here very merry, and so to my office again, where very late, and
then home to supper and to bed, but sat up with my wife at cards till
past two in the morning.

4th. Lay long, and then up and to my Lord of Oxford's, but his
Lordshipp was in bed at past ten o'clock: and, Lord helpe us! so rude a
dirty family I never saw in my life. He sent me out word my business
was not done, but should against the afternoon. I thence to the
Coffee-house, there but little company, and so home to the 'Change,
where I hear of some more of our ships lost to the Northward. So to Sir
W. Batten's, but he was set out before I got thither. I sat long talking
with my lady, and then home to dinner. Then come Mr. Moore to see
me, and he and I to my Lord of Oxford's, but not finding him within Mr.
Moore and I to "Love in a Tubb," which is very merry, but only so by
gesture, not wit at all, which methinks is beneath the House. So walked
home, it being a very hard frost, and I find myself as heretofore in cold
weather to begin to burn within and pimples and pricks all over my
body, my pores with cold being shut up. So home to supper and to
cards and to bed.

5th. Up, it being very cold and a great snow and frost tonight. To the
office, and there all the morning. At noon dined at home, troubled at
my wife's being simply angry with Jane, our cook mayde (a good
servant, though perhaps hath faults and is cunning), and given her
warning to be gone. So to the office again, where we sat late, and then I
to my office, and there very late doing business. Home to supper and to
the office again, and then late home to bed.

6th. Lay long in bed, but most of it angry and scolding with my wife

about her warning Jane our cookemayde to be gone and upon that she
desires to go abroad to-day to look a place. A very good mayde she is
and fully to my mind, being neat, only they say a little apt to scold, but
I hear her not. To my office all the morning busy. Dined at home. To
my office again, being pretty well reconciled to my wife, which I did
desire to be, because she had designed much mirthe to-day to end
Christmas with among her servants. At night home, being twelfenight,
and there chose my piece of cake, but went up to my viall, and then to
bed, leaving my wife and people up at their sports, which they continue
till morning, not coming to bed at all.

7th. Up and to the office all the morning. At noon dined alone, my wife
and family most of them a-bed. Then to see my Lady Batten and sit
with her a while, Sir W. Batten being out of town, and then to my
office doing very much business very late, and then home to supper and
to bed.

8th (Lord's day). Up betimes, and it being a very fine frosty day, I and
my boy walked to White Hall, and