15th.  Lay long in bed to recover my rest.  Going forth met with Mr. Sheply, and went and drank my morning draft with him at Wilkinson’s, and my brother Spicer.—­[Jack Spicer, brother clerk of the Privy Seal.]—­After that to Westminster Abbey, and in Henry the Seventh’s Chappell heard part of a sermon, the first that ever I heard there.  To my Lord’s and dined all alone at the table with him.  After dinner he and I alone fell to discourse, and I find him plainly to be a sceptic in all things of religion, and to make no great matter of anything therein, but to be a perfect Stoic.  In the afternoon to Henry the Seventh’s Chappell, where I heard service and a sermon there, and after that meeting W. Bowyer there, he and I to the Park, and walked a good while till night.  So to Harper’s and drank together, and Captain Stokes came to us and so I fell into discourse of buying paper at the first hand in my office, and the Captain promised me to buy it for me in France.  After that to my Lord’s lodgings, where I wrote some business and so home.  My wife at home all the day, she having no clothes out, all being packed up yesterday.  For this month I have wholly neglected anything of news, and so have beyond belief been ignorant how things go, but now by my patent my mind is in some quiet, which God keep.  I was not at my father’s to-day, I being afraid to go for fear he should still solicit me to speak to my Lord for a place in the Wardrobe, which I dare not do, because of my own business yet.  My wife and I mightily pleased with our new house that we hope to have.  My patent has cost me a great deal of money, about L40, which is the only thing at present which do trouble me much.  In the afternoon to Henry the Seventh’s chapel, where I heard a sermon and spent (God forgive me) most of my time in looking upon Mrs. Butler.  After that with W. Bowyer to walk in the Park.  Afterwards to my Lord’s lodgings, and so home to bed, having not been at my father’s to-day.

16th, This morning it proved very rainy weather so that I could not remove my goods to my house.  I to my office and did business there, and so home, it being then sunrise, but by the time that I got to my house it began to rain again, so that I could not carry my goods by cart as I would have done.  After that to my Lord’s and so home and to bed.

17th.  This morning (as indeed all the mornings nowadays) much business at my Lord’s.  There came to my house before I went out Mr. Barlow, an old consumptive man, and fair conditioned, with whom I did discourse a great while, and after much talk I did grant him what he asked, viz., L50 per annum, if my salary be not increased, and (100 per annum, in case it be to L350), at which he was very well pleased to be paid as I received my money and not otherwise.  Going to my Lord’s I found my Lord had got a great cold and kept his bed, and so I brought him to my Lord’s bedside, and he and I did agree together to this purpose what I