9th.  With my workmen all the morning, my wife being ill and in great pain with her old pain, which troubled me much because that my house is in this condition of dirt.  In the afternoon I went to Whitehall and there spoke with my Lord at his lodgings, and there being with him my Lord Chamberlain, I spoke for my old waterman Payne, to get into White’s place, who was waterman to my Lord Chamberlain, and is now to go master of the barge to my Lord to sea, and my Lord Chamberlain did promise that Payne should be entertained in White’s place with him.  From thence to Sir G. Carteret, and there did get his promise for the payment of the remainder of the bill of Mr. Creed’s, wherein of late I have been so much concerned, which did so much rejoice me that I meeting with Mr. Childe took him to the Swan Tavern in King Street, and there did give him a tankard of white wine and sugar,—­[The popular taste was formerly for sweet wines, and sugar was frequently mixed with the wine.]—­and so I went by water home and set myself to get my Lord’s accounts made up, which was till nine at night before I could finish, and then I walked to the Wardrobe, being the first time I was there since my Lady came thither, who I found all alone, and so she shewed me all the lodgings as they are now fitted, and they seem pretty pleasant.  By and by comes in my Lord, and so, after looking over my accounts, I returned home, being a dirty and dark walk.  So to bed.

10th.  At the office all the morning, and the afternoon among my workmen with great pleasure, because being near an end of their work.  This afternoon came Mr. Blackburn and Creed to see me, and I took them to the Dolphin, and there drank a great deal of Rhenish wine with them and so home, having some talk with Mr. Blackburn about his kinsman my Will, and he did give me good satisfaction in that it is his desire that his kinsman should do me all service, and that he would give him the best counsel he could to make him good.  Which I begin of late to fear that he will not because of the bad company that I find that he do begin to take.  This afternoon Mr. Hater received for me the L225 due upon Mr. Creed’s bill in which I am concerned so much, which do make me very glad.  At night to Sir W. Batten and sat a while.  So to bed.

11th.  This morning I went by water with Payne (Mr. Moore being with me) to my Lord Chamberlain at Whitehall, and there spoke with my Lord, and he did accept of Payne for his waterman, as I had lately endeavoured to get him to be.  After that Mr. Cooling did give Payne an order to be entertained, and so I left him and Mr. Moore, and I went to Graye’s Inne, and there to a barber’s, where I was trimmed, and had my haire cut, in which I am lately become a little curious, finding that the length of it do become me very much.  So, calling at my father’s, I went home, and there staid and saw my workmen follow their work, which this night is brought to a very good condition.  This afternoon Mr. Shepley, Moore,