16th (Lord’s day).  It raining, we set out, and about nine o’clock got to Hatfield in church-time; and I ’light and saw my simple Lord Salsbury sit there in his gallery.  Staid not in the Church, but thence mounted again and to Barnett by the end of sermon, and there dined at the Red Lyon very weary again, but all my weariness yesterday night and to-day in my thighs only, the rest of my weariness in my shoulders and arms being quite gone.  Thence home, parting company at my cozen Anth.  Joyce’s, by four o’clock, weary, but very well, to bed at home, where I find all well.  Anon my wife came to bed, but for my ease rose again and lay with her woman.

17th.  Rose very well and not weary, and with Sir W. Batten to St. James’s; there did our business.  I saw Sir J. Lawson since his return from sea first this morning, and hear that my Lord Sandwich is come from Portsmouth to town.  Thence I to him, and finding him at my Lord Crew’s, I went with him home to his house and much kind discourse.  Thence my Lord to Court, and I with Creed to the ’Change, and thence with Sir W. Warren to a cook’s shop and dined, discoursing and advising him about his great contract he is to make tomorrow, and do every day receive great satisfaction in his company, and a prospect of a just advantage by his friendship.  Thence to my office doing some business, but it being very cold, I, for fear of getting cold, went early home to bed, my wife not being come home from my Lady Jemimah, with whom she hath been at a play and at Court to-day.

18th.  Up and to the office, where among other things we made a very great contract with Sir W. Warren for 3,000 loade of timber.  At noon dined at home.  In the afternoon to the Fishery, where, very confused and very ridiculous, my Lord Craven’s proceedings, especially his finding fault with Sir J. Collaton and Colonell Griffin’s’ report in the accounts of the lottery-men.  Thence I with Mr. Gray in his coach to White Hall, but the King and Duke being abroad, we returned to Somersett House.  In discourse I find him a very worthy and studious gentleman in the business of trade, and among-other things he observed well to me, how it is not the greatest wits, but the steady man, that is a good merchant:  he instanced in Ford and Cocke, the last of whom he values above all men as his oracle, as Mr. Coventry do Mr. Jolliffe.  He says that it is concluded among merchants, that where a trade hath once been and do decay, it never recovers again, and therefore that the manufacture of cloath of England will never come to esteem again; that, among other faults, Sir Richard Ford cannot keepe a secret, and that it is so much the part of a merchant to be guilty of that fault that the Duke of Yoke is resolved to commit no more secrets to the merchants of the Royall Company; that Sir Ellis Layton is, for a speech of forty words, the wittiest man that ever he knew in his life, but longer he is nothing, his judgment being