28th.  Up, and with Creed, who come hither betimes to speake with me about his accounts, to White Hall by water, mighty merry in discourse, though I had been very little troubled with him, or did countenance it, having now, blessed be God! a great deale of good business to mind to better purpose than chatting with him.  Waited on the Duke, after that walked with Sir W. Clerke into St. James’s Parke, and by and by met with Mr. Hayes, Prince Rupert’s Secretary, who are mighty, both, briske blades, but I fear they promise themselves more than they expect.  Thence to the Cockpitt, and dined with a great deal of company at the Duke of Albemarle’s, and a bad and dirty, nasty dinner.  So by coach to Hales’s, and there sat again, and it is become mighty like.  Hither come my wife and Mercer brought by Mrs. Pierce and Knipp, we were mighty merry and the picture goes on the better for it.  Thence set them down at Pierces, and we home, where busy and at my chamber till 12 at night, and so to bed.  This night, I am told, the Queene of Portugall, the mother to our Queene, is lately dead, and newes brought of it hither this day.

[Donna Luiza, the Queen Regent of Portugal.  She was daughter of the Duke de Medina Sidonia and widow of Juan iv.  The Court wore the deepest mourning on this occasion.  The ladies were directed to wear their hair plain, and to appear without spots on their faces, the disfiguring fashion of patching having just been introduced.—­ Strickland s Queens of England, vol. viii., p. 362.]

29th.  All the morning hard at the office.  At noon dined and then out to Lumbard Streete, to look after the getting of some money that is lodged there of mine in Viner’s hands, I having no mind to have it lie there longer.  So back again and to the office, where and at home about publique and private business and accounts till past 12 at night, and so to bed.  This day, poor Jane, my old, little Jane, came to us again, to my wife’s and my great content, and we hope to take mighty pleasure in her, she having all the marks and qualities of a good and loving and honest servant, she coming by force away from the other place, where she hath lived ever since she went from us, and at our desire, her late mistresse having used all the stratagems she could to keepe her.

30th.  My wife and I mighty pleased with Jane’s coming to us again.  Up, and away goes Alce, our cooke-mayde, a good servant, whom we loved and did well by her, and she an excellent servant, but would not bear being told of any faulte in the fewest and kindest words and would go away of her owne accord, after having given her mistresse warning fickly for a quarter of a yeare together.  So we shall take another girle and make little Jane our cook, at least, make a trial of it.  Up, and after much business I out to Lumbard Streete, and there received L2200 and brought it home; and, contrary to expectation, received L35 for the use of L2000 of it [for] a quarter