23rd.  To the office all the morning.  My wife and people at home busy to get things ready for tomorrow’s dinner.  At noon, without dinner, went into the City, and there meeting with Greatorex, we went and drank a pot of ale.  He told me that he was upon a design to go to Teneriffe to try experiments there.  With him to Gresham Colledge

[Gresham College occupied the house of Sir Thomas Gresham, in Bishopsgate Street, from 1596, when Lady Gresham, Sir Thomas’s widow, died.  The meeting which Pepys attended was an early one of the Royal Society, which was incorporated by royal charter in 1663.]

(where I never was before), and saw the manner of the house, and found great company of persons of honour there; thence to my bookseller’s, and for books, and to Stevens, the silversmith, to make clean some plate against to-morrow, and so home, by the way paying many little debts for wine and pictures, &c., which is my great pleasure.  Home and found all things in a hurry of business, Slater, our messenger, being here as my cook till very late.  I in my chamber all the evening looking over my Osborn’s works and new Emanuel Thesaurus Patriarchae.  So late to bed, having ate nothing to-day but a piece of bread and cheese at the ale-house with Greatorex, and some bread and butter at home.

24th.  At home all day.  There dined with me Sir William Batten and his lady and daughter, Sir W. Pen, Mr. Fox (his lady being ill could not come), and Captain Cuttance; the first dinner I have made since I came hither.  This cost me above L5, and merry we were—­only my chimney smokes.  In the afternoon Mr. Hater bringing me my last quarter’s salary, which I received of him, and so I have now Mr. Barlow’s money in my hands.  The company all go away, and by and by Sir Wms. both and my Lady Batten and his daughter come again and supped with me and talked till late, and so to bed, being glad that the trouble is over.

25th.  At the office all the morning.  Dined at home and Mr. Hater with me, and so I did make even with him for the last quarter.  After dinner he and I to look upon the instructions of my Lord Northumberland’s, but we were interrupted by Mr. Salisbury’s coming in, who came to see me and to show me my Lord’s picture in little, of his doing.  And truly it is strange to what a perfection he is come in a year’s time.  From thence to Paul’s Churchyard about books, and so back again home.  This night comes two cages, which I bought this evening for my canary birds, which Captain Rooth this day sent me.  So to bed.

26th.  Within all the morning.  About noon comes one that had formerly known me and I him, but I know not his name, to borrow L5 of me, but I had the wit to deny him.  There dined with me this day both the Pierces’ and their wives, and Captain Cuttance, and Lieutenant Lambert, with whom we made ourselves very merry by taking away his ribbans and garters, having made him to confess that he is lately married.  The company being gone I went to my lute till night, and so to bed.