[Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is celebrated for its intensely bitter, tonic, and stimulating qualities, which have caused it to be used in various medicinal preparations, and also in the making of liqueurs, as wormwood wine and creme d’absinthe.]

and so we broke up.  So we parted, and I and Mr. Creed to Westminster Hall and looked over a book or two, and so to my Lord’s, where I dined with my lady, there being Mr. Child and Mrs. Borfett, who are never absent at dinner there, under pretence of a wooing.  From thence I to Mr. de Cretz and did take away my Lord’s picture, which is now finished for me, and I paid L3 10s. for it and the frame, and am well pleased with it and the price.  So carried it home by water, Will being with me.  At home, and had a fire made in my closet, and put my papers and books and things in order, and that being done I fell to entering these two good songs of Mr. Lawes, “Helpe, helpe, O helpe,” and “O God of Heaven and Hell” in my song book, to which I have got Mr. Child to set the base to the Theorbo, and that done to bed.

25th (Lord’s day).  In the forenoon I alone to our church, and after dinner I went and ranged about to many churches, among the rest to the Temple, where I heard Dr. Wilkins’ a little (late Maister of Trinity in Cambridge).  That being done to my father’s to see my mother who is troubled much with the stone, and that being done I went home, where I had a letter brought me from my Lord to get a ship ready to carry the Queen’s things over to France, she being to go within five or six days.  So to supper and to bed.

26th (Office day).  To it all the morning, and dined at home where my father come and dined with me, who seems to take much pleasure to have a son that is neat in his house.  I being now making my new door into the entry, which he do please himself much with.  After dinner to the office again, and there till night.  And that being done the Comptroller and I to the Mitre to a glass of wine, when we fell into a discourse of poetry, and he did repeat some verses of his own making which were very good.  Home, there hear that my Lady Batten had given my wife a visit (the first that ever she made her), which pleased me exceedingly.  So after supper to bed.

27th.  To Whitehall, where I found my Lord gone abroad to the Wardrobe, whither he do now go every other morning, and do seem to resolve to understand and look after the business himself.  From thence to Westminster Hall, and in King Street there being a great stop of coaches, there was a falling out between a drayman and my Lord Chesterfield’s coachman, and one of his footmen killed.  At the Hall I met with Mr. Creed, and he and I to Hell to drink our morning draught, and so to my Lord’s again, where I found my wife, and she and I dined with him and my Lady, and great company of my Lord’s friends, and my Lord did show us great respect.  Soon as dinner was done my wife took her leave, and