through each part of this my own Book.”  Whole sentences in the book are struck through, as well as such words as Martyr, Defender of the Faith, More than Conqueror, &c.]

11th.  At the office all the morning, Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen, and I about the Victualler’s accounts.  Then home to dinner and to the office again all the afternoon, Mr. Hater and I writing over my Alphabet fair, in which I took great pleasure to rule the lines and to have the capitall words wrote with red ink.  So home and to supper.  This evening Savill the Paynter came and did varnish over my wife’s picture and mine, and I paid him for my little picture L3, and so am clear with him.  So after supper to bed.  This day I had a letter from my father that he is got down well, and found my mother pretty well again.  So that I am vexed with all my heart at Pall for writing to him so much concerning my mother’s illness (which I believe was not so great), so that he should be forced to hasten down on the sudden back into the country without taking leave, or having any pleasure here.

12th.  This morning I tried on my riding cloth suit with close knees, the first that ever I had; and I think they will be very convenient, if not too hot to wear any other open knees after them.  At the office all the morning, where we had a full Board, viz., Sir G. Carteret, Sir John Mennes, Sir W. Batten, Mr. Coventry, Sir W. Pen, Mr. Pett, and myself.  Among many other businesses, I did get a vote signed by all, concerning my issuing of warrants, which they did not smell the use I intend to make of it; but it is to plead for my clerks to have their right of giving out all warrants, at which I am not a little pleased.  But a great difference happened between Sir G. Carteret and Mr. Coventry, about passing the Victualler’s account, and whether Sir George is to pay the Victualler his money, or the Exchequer; Sir George claiming it to be his place to save his threepences.  It ended in anger, and I believe will come to be a question before the King and Council.  I did what I could to keep myself unconcerned in it, having some things of my own to do before I would appear high in anything.  Thence to dinner, by Mr. Gauden’s invitation, to the Dolphin, where a good dinner; but what is to myself a great wonder; that with ease I past the whole dinner without drinking a drop of wine.  After dinner to the office, my head full of business, and so home, and it being the longest day in the year,—­[That is, by the old style.  The new style was not introduced until 1752]—­I made all my people go to bed by daylight.  But after I was a-bed and asleep, a note came from my brother Tom to tell me that my cozen Anne Pepys, of Worcestershire, her husband is dead, and she married again, and her second husband in town, and intends to come and see me to-morrow.