of a year, where it hath produced me this profit, and hath been a convenience to me as to care and security of my house, and demandable at two days’ warning, as this hath been.  This morning Sir W. Warren come to me a second time about having L2000 of me upon his bills on the Act to enable him to pay for the ships he is buying, wherein I shall have considerable profit.  I am loth to do it, but yet speaking with Colvill I do not see but I shall be able to do it and get money by it too.  Thence home and eat one mouthful, and so to Hales’s, and there sat till almost quite darke upon working my gowne, which I hired to be drawn in; an Indian gowne, and I do see all the reason to expect a most excellent picture of it.  So home and to my private accounts in my chamber till past one in the morning, and so to bed, with my head full of thoughts for my evening of all my accounts tomorrow, the latter end of the month, in which God give me good issue, for I never was in such a confusion in my life and that in great sums.

31st All the morning at the office busy.  At noon to dinner, and thence to the office and did my business there as soon as I could, and then home and to my accounts, where very late at them, but, Lord! what a deale of do I have to understand any part of them, and in short do what I could, I could not come to any understanding of them, but after I had throughly wearied myself, I was forced to go to bed and leave them much against my will and vowe too, but I hope God will forgive me, for I have sat up these four nights till past twelve at night to master them, but cannot.  Thus ends this month, with my head and mind mighty full and disquiett because of my accounts, which I have let go too long, and confounded my publique with my private that I cannot come to any liquidating of them.  However, I do see that I must be grown richer than I was by a good deale last month.  Busy also I am in thoughts for a husband for my sister, and to that end my wife and I have determined that she shall presently go into the country to my father and mother, and consider of a proffer made them for her in the country, which, if she likes, shall go forward.

Diaryof Samuel Pepys. 
April
1666

April 1st (Lord’s day).  Up and abroad, and by coach to Charing Cross, to wait on Sir Philip Howard; whom I found in bed:  and he do receive me very civilly.  My request was about suffering my wife’s brother to go to sea, and to save his pay in the Duke’s guards; which after a little difficulty he did with great respect agree to.  I find him a very fine-spoken gentleman, and one of great parts, and very courteous.  Much pleased with this visit I to White Hall, where I met Sir G. Downing, and to discourse with him an houre about the Exchequer payments upon the late Act, and informed myself of him thoroughly in my safety in lending L2000 to Sir W. Warren, upon an order of his upon the Exchequer for L2602 and I do purpose to do it.  Thence