5th.  Up, it being very cold and a great snow and frost tonight.  To the office, and there all the morning.  At noon dined at home, troubled at my wife’s being simply angry with Jane, our cook mayde (a good servant, though perhaps hath faults and is cunning), and given her warning to be gone.  So to the office again, where we sat late, and then I to my office, and there very late doing business.  Home to supper and to the office again, and then late home to bed.

6th.  Lay long in bed, but most of it angry and scolding with my wife about her warning Jane our cookemayde to be gone and upon that she desires to go abroad to-day to look a place.  A very good mayde she is and fully to my mind, being neat, only they say a little apt to scold, but I hear her not.  To my office all the morning busy.  Dined at home.  To my office again, being pretty well reconciled to my wife, which I did desire to be, because she had designed much mirthe to-day to end Christmas with among her servants.  At night home, being twelfenight, and there chose my piece of cake, but went up to my viall, and then to bed, leaving my wife and people up at their sports, which they continue till morning, not coming to bed at all.

7th.  Up and to the office all the morning.  At noon dined alone, my wife and family most of them a-bed.  Then to see my Lady Batten and sit with her a while, Sir W. Batten being out of town, and then to my office doing very much business very late, and then home to supper and to bed.

8th (Lord’s day).  Up betimes, and it being a very fine frosty day, I and my boy walked to White Hall, and there to the Chappell, where one Dr. Beaumont’ preached a good sermon, and afterwards a brave anthem upon the 150 Psalm, where upon the word “trumpet” very good musique was made.  So walked to my Lady’s and there dined with her (my boy going home), where much pretty discourse, and after dinner walked to Westminster, and there to the house where Jane Welsh had appointed me, but it being sermon time they would not let me in, and said nobody was there to speak with me.  I spent the whole afternoon walking into the Church and Abbey, and up and down, but could not find her, and so in the evening took a coach and home, and there sat discoursing with my wife, and by and by at supper, drinking some cold drink I think it was, I was forced to go make water, and had very great pain after it, but was well by and by and continued so, it being only I think from the drink, or from my straining at stool to do more than my body would.  So after prayers to bed.

9th.  Up and walked to White Hall, it being still a brave frost, and I in perfect good health, blessed be God!  In my way saw a woman that broke her thigh, in her heels slipping up upon the frosty streete.  To the Duke, and there did our usual worke.  Here I saw the Royal Society bring their new book, wherein is nobly writ their charter’ and laws, and comes to be signed by the Duke as a Fellow; and