past, and an estimate of the seven months to come, to November next:  the first arising to above L500,000, and the latter will, as we judge, come to above L1,000,000.  But to see how my Lord Treasurer did bless himself, crying he could do no more than he could, nor give more money than he had, if the occasion and expence were never so great, which is but a sad story.  And then to hear how like a passionate and ignorant asse Sir G. Carteret did harangue upon the abuse of Tickets did make me mad almost and yet was fain to hold my tongue.  Thence home, vexed mightily to see how simply our greatest ministers do content themselves to understand and do things, while the King’s service in the meantime lies a-bleeding.  At my office late writing letters till ready to drop down asleep with my late sitting up of late, and running up and down a-days.  So to bed.

2nd (Lord’s day).  At my office all the morning, renewing my vowes in writing and then home to dinner.  All the afternoon, Mr. Tasborough, one of Mr. Povy’s clerks, with me about his master’s accounts.  In the evening Mr. Andrews and Hill sang, but supped not with me, then after supper to bed.

3rd.  Up and to the Duke of Albemarle and White Hall, where much business.  Thence home and to dinner, and then with Creed, my wife, and Mercer to a play at the Duke’s, of my Lord Orrery’s, called “Mustapha,” which being not good, made Betterton’s part and Ianthe’s but ordinary too, so that we were not contented with it at all.  Thence home and to the office a while, and then home to supper and to bed.  All the pleasure of the play was, the King and my Lady Castlemayne were there; and pretty witty Nell,—­[Nell Gwynne]—­at the King’s house, and the younger Marshall sat next us; which pleased me mightily.

4th.  All the morning at the office busy, at noon to the ’Change, and then went up to the ’Change to buy a pair of cotton stockings, which I did at the husband’s shop of the most pretty woman there, who did also invite me to buy some linnen of her, and I was glad of the occasion, and bespoke some bands of her, intending to make her my seamstress, she being one of the prettiest and most modest looked women that ever I did see.  Dined at home and to the office, where very late till I was ready to fall down asleep, and did several times nod in the middle of my letters.

5th.  This day was kept publiquely by the King’s command, as a fast day against the Dutch warr, and I betimes with Mr. Tooker, whom I have brought into the Navy to serve us as a husband to see goods timely shipped off from hence to the Fleete and other places, and took him with me to Woolwich and Deptford, where by business I have been hindered a great while of going, did a very great deale of business, and home, and there by promise find Creed, and he and my wife, Mercer and I by coach to take the ayre; and, where we had formerly been, at Hackney, did there eat some pullets we carried with us, and some things of the house; and after a game or two at shuffle-board, home, and Creed lay with me; but, being sleepy, he had no mind to talk about business, which indeed I intended, by inviting him to lie with me, but I would not force it on him, and so to bed, he and I, and to sleep, being the first time I have been so much at my ease and taken so much fresh ayre these many weeks or months.