7th.  Up and to the office (having by my going by water without any thing upon my legs yesterday got some pain upon me again), where all the morning.  At noon a little to the ’Change, and thence home to dinner, my wife being ill still in bed.  Thence to the office, where busy all the afternoon till 9 at night, and so home to my wife, to supper, and to bed.

8th.  All day before dinner with Creed, talking of many things, among others, of my Lord’s going so often to Chelsy, and he, without my speaking much, do tell me that his daughters do perceive all, and do hate the place, and the young woman there, Mrs. Betty Becke; for my Lord, who sent them thither only for a disguise for his going thither, will come under pretence to see them, and pack them out of doors to the Parke, and stay behind with her; but now the young ladies are gone to their mother to Kensington.  To dinner, and after dinner till 10 at night in my study writing of my old broken office notes in shorthand all in one book, till my eyes did ake ready to drop out.  So home to supper and to bed.

9th.  Up and at my office all the morning.  At noon dined at home, Mr. Hunt and his kinswoman (wife in the country), after dinner I to the office, where we sat all the afternoon.  Then at night by coach to attend the Duke of Albemarle about the Tangier ship.  Coming back my wife spied me going home by coach from Mr. Hunt’s, with whom she hath gained much in discourse to-day concerning W. Howe’s discourse of me to him.  That he was the man that got me to be secretary to my Lord; and all that I have thereby, and that for all this I never did give him 6d. in my life.  Which makes me wonder that this rogue dare talk after this manner, and I think all the world is grown false.  But I hope I shall make good use of it.  So home to supper and to bed, my eyes aching mightily since last night.

10th.  Up and by water to White Hall, and there to a Committee of Tangier, and had occasion to see how my Lord Ashworth—­[Lord Ashworth is probably a miswriting for Lord Ashley (afterwards Earl of Shaftesbury).]—­deports himself, which is very fine indeed, and it joys my heart to see that there is any body looks so near into the King’s business as I perceive he do in this business of my Lord Peterborough’s accounts.  Thence into the Parke, and met and walked with Captain Sylas Taylor, my old acquaintance while I was of the Exchequer, and Dr. Whore, talking of musique, and particularly of Mr. Berckenshaw’s way, which Taylor magnifies mightily, and perhaps but what it deserves, but not so easily to be understood as he and others make of it.  Thence home by water, and after dinner abroad to buy several things, as a map, and powder, and other small things, and so home to my office, and in the evening with Captain Taylor by water to our Tangier ship, and so home, well pleased, having received L26 profit to-day of my bargain for this ship, which comforts me mightily, though I confess my heart, what with my being out of order as to my health, and the fear I have of the money my Lord oweth me and I stand indebted to him in, is much cast down of late.  In the evening home to supper and to bed.