12th.  Up, still lying long in bed; then to the office, where sat very long.  Then home to dinner, and so to the office again, mighty busy, and did to the joy of my soul dispatch much business, which do make my heart light, and will enable me to recover all the ground I have lost (if I have by my late minding my pleasures lost any) and assert myself.  So home to supper, and then to read a little in Moore’s “Antidote against Atheisme,” a pretty book, and so to bed.

13th (Lord’s day).  Up, and to church, where young Lowther come to church with Sir W. Pen and his Lady and daughter, and my wife tells me that either they are married or the match is quite perfected, which I am apt to believe, because all the peoples’ eyes in the church were much fixed upon them.  At noon sent for Mercer, who dined with us, and very merry, and so I, after dinner, walked to the Old Swan, thinking to have got a boat to White Hall, but could not, nor was there anybody at home at Michell’s, where I thought to have sat with her . . . .  So home, to church, a dull sermon, and then home at my chamber all the evening.  So to supper and to bed.

14th.  Up, and to the office, where busy getting beforehand with my business as fast as I can.  At noon home to dinner, and presently afterward at my office again.  I understand my father is pretty well again, blessed be God! and would have my Br[other] John comedown to him for a little while.  Busy till night, pleasing myself mightily to see what a deal of business goes off of a man’s hands when he stays by it, and then, at night, before it was late (yet much business done) home to supper, discourse with my wife, and to bed.  Sir W. Batten tells me the Lords do agree at last with the Commons about the word “Nuisance” in the Irish Bill, and do desire a good correspondence between the two Houses; and that the King do intend to prorogue them the last of this month.

15th.  Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning.  Here my Lord Bruncker would have made me promise to go with him to a play this afternoon, where Knipp acts Mrs. Weaver’s great part in “The Indian Emperour,” and he says is coming on to be a great actor.  But I am so fell to my business, that I, though against my inclination, will not go.  At noon, dined with my wife and were pleasant, and then to the office, where I got Mrs. Burroughs ‘sola cum ego, and did toucher ses mamailles’ . . .  She gone, I to my business and did much, and among other things to-night we were all mightily troubled how to prevent the sale of a great deal of hemp, and timber-deals, and other good goods to-morrow at the candle by the Prize Office, where it will be sold for little, and we shall be found to want the same goods and buy at extraordinary prices, and perhaps the very same goods now sold, which is a most horrid evil and a shame.  At night home to supper and to bed with my mind mighty light to see the fruits of my diligence in having my business go off my hand so merrily.