Diary, May/Jun 1666 | Page 5

privy to all my
concernments. Upon this my wife and I had a little disagreement, but it
ended by and by, and then to send up and down for a nurse to take the
girle home and would have given anything. I offered to the only one
that we could get 20s. per weeke, and we to find clothes, and bedding
and physique, and would have given 30s., as demanded, but desired an
houre or two's time. So I away by water to Westminster, and there sent
for the girle's mother to Westminster Hall to me; she came and
undertakes to get her daughter a lodging and nurse at next doore to her,

though she dare not, for the parish's sake, whose sexton her husband is,
to [have] her into her owne house. Thence home, calling at my
bookseller's and other trifling places, and in the evening the mother
come and with a nurse she has got, who demanded and I did agree at
10s. per weeke to take her, and so she away, and my house mighty
uncouth, having so few in it, and we shall want a servant or two by it,
and the truth is my heart was a little sad all the afternoon and jealous of
myself. But she went, and we all glad of it, and so a little to the office,
and so home to supper and to bed.

4th. Up and by water to Westminster to Charing Cross (Mr. Gregory
for company with me) to Sir Ph. Warwicke's, who was not within. So I
took Gregory to White Hall, and there spoke with Joseph Williamson to
have leave in the next Gazette to have a general pay for the Chest at
Chatham declared upon such a day in June. Here I left Gregory, and I
by coach back again to Sir Philip Warwicke's, and in the Park met him
walking, so discoursed about the business of striking a quarter's tallys
for Tangier, due this day, which he hath promised to get my Lord
Treasurer's warrant for, and so away hence, and to Mr. Hales, to see
what he had done to Mrs. Pierces picture, and whatever he pretends, I
do not think it will ever be so good a picture as my wife's. Thence
home to the office a little and then to dinner, and had a great fray with
my wife again about Browne's coming to teach her to paynt, and sitting
with me at table, which I will not yield to. I do thoroughly believe she
means no hurte in it; but very angry we were, and I resolved all into my
having my will done, without disputing, be the reason what it will; and
so I will have it. After dinner abroad again and to the New Exchange
about play books, and to White Hall, thinking to have met Sir G.
Carteret, but failed. So to the Swan at Westminster, and there spent a
quarter of an hour with Jane, and thence away home, and my wife
coming home by and by (having been at her mother's to pray her to
look out for a mayde for her) by coach into the fields to Bow, and so
home back in the evening, late home, and after supper to bed, being
much out of order for lack of somebody in the room of Su. This
evening, being weary of my late idle courses, and the little good I shall
do the King or myself in the office, I bound myself to very strict rules
till Whitsunday next.

5th. At the office all the morning. After dinner upon a letter from the
fleete from Sir W. Coventry I did do a great deale of worke for the
sending away of the victuallers that are in the river, &c., too much to
remember. Till 10 at night busy about letters and other necessary matter
of the office. About 11 home, it being a fine moonshine and so my wife
and Mercer come into the garden, and, my business being done, we
sang till about twelve at night, with mighty pleasure to ourselves and
neighbours, by their casements opening, and so home to supper and to
bed.

6th (Lord's day). To church. Home, and after dinner walked to White
Hall, thinking to have seen Mr. Coventry, but failed, and therefore
walked clear on foot back again. Busy till night in fitting my
Victualling papers in order, which I through my multitude of business
and pleasure have not examined these several months. Walked back
again home, and so to the Victualling Office, where I met Mr. Gawden,
and have received some satisfaction, though it be short of what I
expected, and what might be expected from me. So after evened I have
gone, and so