8th.  At the office all the morning.  At noon to the Exchange to meet Mr. Warren the timber merchant, but could not meet with him.  Here I met with many sea commanders, and among others Captain Cuttle, and Curtis, and Mootham, and I, went to the Fleece Tavern to drink; and there we spent till four o’clock, telling stories of Algiers, and the manner of the life of slaves there!  And truly Captn.  Mootham and Mr. Dawes (who have been both slaves there) did make me fully acquainted with their condition there:  as, how they eat nothing but bread and water.  At their redemption they pay so much for the water they drink at the public fountaynes, during their being slaves.  How they are beat upon the soles of their feet and bellies at the liberty of their padron.  How they are all, at night, called into their master’s Bagnard; and there they lie.  How the poorest men do use their slaves best.  How some rogues do live well, if they do invent to bring their masters in so much a week by their industry or theft; and then they are put to no other work at all.  And theft there is counted no great crime at all.  Thence to Mr. Rawlinson’s, having met my old friend Dick Scobell, and there I drank a great deal with him, and so home and to bed betimes, my head aching.

9th.  To my Lord’s with Mr. Creed (who was come to me this morning to get a bill of imprest signed), and my Lord being gone out he and I to the Rhenish wine-house with Mr. Blackburne.  To whom I did make known my fears of Will’s losing of his time, which he will take care to give him good advice about.  Afterwards to my Lord’s and Mr. Shepley and I did make even his accounts and mine.  And then with Mr. Creed and two friends of his (my late landlord Jones’ son one of them), to an ordinary to dinner, and then Creed and I to Whitefriars’ to the Play-house, and saw “The Mad Lover,” the first time I ever saw it acted, which I like pretty well, and home.

10th (Lord’s day).  Took physique all day, and, God forgive me, did spend it in reading of some little French romances.  At night my wife and I did please ourselves talking of our going into France, which I hope to effect this summer.  At noon one came to ask for Mrs. Hunt that was here yesterday, and it seems is not come home yet, which makes us afraid of her.  At night to bed.

11th.  At the office all the morning.  Dined at home, and then to the Exchequer, and took Mr. Warren with me to Mr. Kennard, the master joiner, at Whitehall, who was at a tavern, and there he and I to him, and agreed about getting some of my Lord’s deals on board to-morrow.  Then with young Mr. Reeve home to his house, who did there show me many pretty pleasures in perspectives,