Diary, January 1668/69 | Page 6

and he did it
fully; and so as, I believe, will make the Treasurers carefull of
themselves, unless they do resolve upon defying the Duke of York.
Thence with W. Hewer home, and to dinner, and so out again, my wife
and I and Mr. Hater to White Hall, where she set us down, and she up
and down to buy things, while we at the Treasury-Chamber, where I
alone did manage the business of "The Leopard" against the whole
Committee of the East India Company, with Mr. Blackburne with them;
and to the silencing of them all, to my no great content. Thence walked
to my wife, and so set out for home in our coach, it being very cold
weather, and so to the office to do a little business, and then home to
my wife's chamber, my people having laid the cloth, and got the rooms
all clean above-stairs to-night for our dinner to-morrow, and therefore I
to bed.

9th. Up, and at the office all the morning, and at noon, my Lord
Brouncker, Mr. Wren, Joseph Williamson, and Captain Cocke, dined
with me; and, being newly sat down, comes in, by invitation of
Williamson's, the Lieutenant of the Tower, and he brings in with him
young Mr. Whore, whose father, of the Tower, I know.--And here I had
a neat dinner, and all in so good manner and fashion, and with so good
company, and everything to my mind, as I never had more in my

life--the company being to my heart's content, and they all well pleased.
So continued, looking over my books and closet till the evening, and so
I to the Office and did a good deal of business, and so home to supper
and to bed with my mind mightily pleased with this day's management,
as one of the days of my life of fullest content.

10th (Lord's day). Accidentally talking of our maids before we rose, I
said a little word that did give occasion to my wife to fall out; and she
did most vexatiously, almost all the morning, but ended most perfect
good friends; but the thoughts of the unquiet which her ripping up of
old faults will give me, did make me melancholy all day long. So about
noon, past 12, we rose, and to dinner, and then to read and talk, my
wife and I alone, for Balty was gone, who come to dine with us, and
then in the evening comes Pelting to sit and talk with us, and so to
supper and pretty merry discourse, only my mind a little vexed at the
morning's work, but yet without any appearance. So after supper to bed.

11th. Up, and with W. Hewer, my guard, to White Hall, where no
Committee of Tangier met, so up and down the House talking with this
and that man, and so home, calling at the New Exchange for a book or
two to send to Mr. Shepley and thence home, and thence to the 'Change,
and there did a little business, and so walked home to dinner, and then
abroad with my wife to the King's playhouse, and there saw "The
Joviall Crew," but ill acted to what it was heretofore, in Clun's time,
and when Lacy could dance. Thence to the New Exchange, to buy
some things; and, among others, my wife did give me my pair of gloves,
which, by contract, she is to give me in her L30 a-year. Here Mrs.
Smith tells us of the great murder thereabouts, on Saturday last, of one
Captain Bumbridge, by one Symons, both of her acquaintance; and
hectors that were at play, and in drink: the former is killed, and is
kinsman to my Lord of Ormond, which made him speak of it with so
much passion, as I overheard him this morning, but could not make
anything of it till now, but would they would kill more of them. So
home; and there at home all the evening; and made Tom to prick down
some little conceits and notions of mine, in musique, which do mightily
encourage me to spend some more thoughts about it; for I fancy, upon
good reason, that I am in the right way of unfolding the mystery of this

matter, better than ever yet.

12th. Up, and to the Office, where, by occasion of a message from the
Treasurers that their Board found fault with Commissioner Middleton, I
went up from our Board to the Lords of the Treasury to meet our
Treasurers, and did, and there did dispute the business, it being about
the matter of paying a little money to Chatham Yard, wherein I find the
Treasurers mighty supple, and I believe we shall bring them to reason,
though they