Diary, May/Jun 1665 | Page 7

I reckon a great good
fortune in the getting of this done. He gone, come Mr. Povy, Dr.
Twisden, and Mr. Lawson about settling my security in the paying of
the L4000 ordered to Sir J. Lawson. So a little abroad and then home,
and late at my office and closet settling this day's disordering of my
papers, then to supper and to bed.

13th. Up, and all day in some little gruntings of pain, as I used to have
from winde, arising I think from my fasting so long, and want of
exercise, and I think going so hot in clothes, the weather being hot, and
the same clothes I wore all winter. To the 'Change after office, and
received my watch from the watchmaker, and a very fine [one] it is,
given me by Briggs, the Scrivener. Home to dinner, and then I abroad
to the Atturney Generall, about advice upon the Act for Land Carriage,
which he desired not to give me before I had received the King's and
Council's order therein; going home bespoke the King's works, will
cost me 50s., I believe. So home and late at my office. But, Lord! to see
how much of my old folly and childishnesse hangs upon me still that I
cannot forbear carrying my watch in my hand in the coach all this
afternoon, and seeing what o'clock it is one hundred times; and am apt
to think with myself, how could I be so long without one; though I
remember since, I had one, and found it a trouble, and resolved to carry
one no more about me while I lived. So home to supper and to bed,
being troubled at a letter from Mr. Gholmly from Tangier, wherein he

do advise me how people are at worke to overthrow our Victualling
business, by which I shall lose L300 per annum, I am much obliged to
him for this, secret kindnesse, and concerned to repay it him in his own
concernments and look after this.

14th (Lord's day). Up, and with my wife to church, it being Whitsunday;
my wife very fine in a new yellow bird's-eye hood, as the fashion is
now. We had a most sorry sermon; so home to dinner, my mother
having her new suit brought home, which makes her very fine. After
dinner my wife and she and Mercer to Thomas Pepys's wife's
christening of his first child, and I took a coach, and to Wanstead, the
house where Sir H. Mildmay died, and now Sir Robert Brookes lives,
having bought it of the Duke of Yorke, it being forfeited to him. A fine
seat, but an old-fashioned house; and being not full of people looks
desolately. Thence to Walthamstow, where (failing at the old place) Sir
W. Batten by and by come home, I walking up and down the house and
garden with my Lady very pleasantly, then to supper very merry, and
then back by coach by dark night. I all the afternoon in the coach
reading the treasonous book of the Court of King James, printed a great
while ago, and worth reading, though ill intended. As soon as I come
home, upon a letter from the Duke of Albemarle, I took boat at about
12 at night, and down the River in a gally, my boy and I, down to the
Hope and so up again, sleeping and waking, with great pleasure, my
business to call upon every one of

15th. Our victualling ships to set them agoing, and so home, and after
dinner to the King's playhouse, all alone, and saw "Love's Maistresse."
Some pretty things and good variety in it, but no or little fancy in it.
Thence to the Duke of Albemarle to give him account of my day's
works, where he shewed me letters from Sir G. Downing, of four days'
date, that the Dutch are come out and joyned, well-manned, and
resolved to board our best ships, and fight for certain they will. Thence
to the Swan at Herbert's, and there the company of Sarah a little while,
and so away and called at the Harp and Ball, where the mayde, Mary, is
very 'formosa'-- [handsome]--; but, Lord! to see in what readiness I am,
upon the expiring of my vowes this day, to begin to run into all my
pleasures and neglect of business. Thence home, and being sleepy to

bed.

16th. Up betimes, and to the Duke of Albemarle with an account of my
yesterday's actions in writing. So back to the office, where all the
morning very busy. After dinner by coach to see and speak with Mr.
Povy, and after little discourse back again home, where busy upon
letters till past 12 at night, and so home