24th (Midsummer-day).  We kept this a holiday, and so went not to the office at all.  All the morning at home.  At noon my father came to see my house now it is done, which is now very neat.  He and I and Dr. Williams (who is come to see my wife, whose soare belly is now grown dangerous as she thinks) to the ordinary over against the Exchange, where we dined and had great wrangling with the master of the house when the reckoning was brought to us, he setting down exceeding high every thing.  I home again and to Sir W. Batten’s, and there sat a good while.  So home.

25th.  Up this morning to put my papers in order that are come from my Lord’s, so that now I have nothing there remaining that is mine, which I have had till now.  This morning came Mr. Goodgroome

     [Theodore Goodgroome, Pepys’s singing-master.  He was probably
     related to John Goodgroome, a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, who is
     also referred to in the Diary.]

to me (recommended by Mr. Mage), with whom I agreed presently to give him 20s. entrance, which I then did, and 20s. a month more to teach me to sing, and so we began, and I hope I have come to something in it.  His first song is “La cruda la bella.”  He gone my brother Tom comes, with whom I made even with my father and the two drapers for the cloths I sent to sea lately.  At home all day, in the afternoon came Captain Allen and his daughter Rebecca and Mr. Hempson, and by and by both Sir Williams, who sat with me till it was late, and I had a very gallant collation for them.  At night to bed.

26th.  To Westminster about several businesses, then to dine with my Lady at the Wardrobe, taking Dean Fuller along with me; then home, where I heard my father had been to find me about special business; so I took coach and went to him, and found by a letter to him from my aunt that my uncle Robert is taken with a dizziness in his head, so that they desire my father to come down to look after his business, by which we guess that he is very ill, and so my father do think to go to-morrow.  And so God’s will be done.  Back by water to the office, there till night, and so home to my musique and then to bed.

27th.  To my father’s, and with him to Mr. Starling’s to drink our morning draft, and there I told him how I would have him speak to my uncle Robert, when he comes thither, concerning my buying of land, that I could pay ready money L600 and the rest by L150 per annum, to make up as much as will buy L50 per annum, which I do, though I not worth above L500 ready money, that he may think me to be a greater saver than I am.  Here I took my leave of my father, who is going this morning to my uncle upon my aunt’s letter this week that he is not well and so needs my father’s help.  At noon home, and then with my Lady Batten, Mrs. Rebecca Allen, Mrs. Thompson, &c., two coaches of us, we went and saw “Bartholomew Fayre” acted very well, and so home again and staid at Sir W. Batten’s late, and so home to bed.  This day Mr. Holden sent me a bever, which cost me L4 5s.