dined with them, he giving me a dish of meat to discourse in order to my serving Deering, which I am already obliged to do, and shall do it, and would be glad he were a man trusty that I might venture something along with him.  Thence home, and by and by in the evening took my wife out by coach, leaving her at Unthanke’s while I to White Hall and to Westminster Hall, where I have not been to talk a great while, and there hear that Mrs. Lane and her husband live a sad life together, and he is gone to be a paymaster to a company to Portsmouth to serve at sea.  She big with child.  Thence I home, calling my wife, and at Sir W. Batten’s hear that the House have given the King L2,500,000 to be paid for this warr, only for the Navy, in three years’ time; which is a joyfull thing to all the King’s party I see, but was much opposed by Mr. Vaughan and others, that it should be so much.  So home and to supper and to bed.

26th.  Up and to the office, where busy all the morning.  Home a while to dinner and then to the office, where very late busy till quite weary, but contented well with my dispatch of business, and so home to supper and to bed.

27th (Lord’s day).  To church in the morning, then dined at home, and to my office, and there all the afternoon setting right my business of flaggs, and after all my pains find reason not to be sorry, because I think it will bring me considerable profit.  In the evening come Mr. Andrews and Hill, and we sung, with my boy, Ravenscroft’s 4-part psalms, most admirable musique.  Then (Andrews not staying) we to supper, and after supper fell into the rarest discourse with Mr. Hill about Rome and Italy; but most pleasant that I ever had in my life.  At it very late and then to bed.

28th.  Up, and with Sir J. Minnes and W. Batten to White Hall, but no Committee of Lords (which is like to do the King’s business well).  So to Westminster, and there to Jervas’s and was a little while with Jane, and so to London by coach and to the Coffee-house, where certain news of our peace made by Captain Allen with Argier, which is good news; and that the Dutch have sent part of their fleete round by Scotland; and resolve to pay off the rest half-pay, promising the rest in the Spring, hereby keeping their men.  But how true this, I know not.  Home to dinner, then come Dr. Clerke to speak with me about sick and wounded men, wherein he is like to be concerned.  After him Mr. Cutler, and much talk with him, and with him to White Hall, to have waited on the Lords by order, but no meeting, neither to-night, which will spoil all.  I think I shall get something by my discourse with Cutler.  So home, and after being at my office an hour with Mr. Povy talking about his business of Tangier, getting him some money allowed him for freight of ships, wherein I hope to get something too.  He gone, home hungry and almost sick for want of eating, and so to supper and to bed.