4th.  To Westminster Hall, where it was full term.  Here all the morning, and at noon to my Lord Crew’s, where one Mr. Tempter (an ingenious man and a person of honour he seems to be) dined; and, discoursing of the nature of serpents, he told us some that in the waste places of Lancashire do grow to a great bigness, and that do feed upon larks, which they take thus:  They observe when the lark is soared to the highest, and do crawl till they come to be just underneath them; and there they place themselves with their mouths uppermost, and there, as is conceived, they do eject poyson up to the bird; for the bird do suddenly come down again in its course of a circle, and falls directly into the mouth of the serpent; which is very strange.  He is a great traveller; and, speaking of the tarantula, he says that all the harvest long (about which times they are most busy) there are fidlers go up and down the fields every where, in expectation of being hired by those that are stung.  Thence to the office, where late, and so to my chamber and then to bed, my mind a little troubled how to put things in order to my advantage in the office in readiness to the Duke’s orders lately sent to us, and of which we are to treat at the office to-morrow morning.  This afternoon, going into the office, one met me and did serve a subpoena upon me for one Field, whom we did commit to prison the other day for some ill words he did give the office.  The like he had for others, but we shall scour him for it.

5th.  Early at the office.  Sir G. Carteret, the two Sir Williams and myself all alone reading of the Duke’s institutions for the settlement of our office, whereof we read as much as concerns our own duties, and left the other officers for another time.  I did move several things for my purpose, and did ease my mind.  At noon Sir W. Pen dined with me, and after dinner he and I and my wife to the Theatre, and went in, but being very early we went out again to the next door, and drank some Rhenish wine and sugar, and so to the House again, and there saw “Rule a Wife and have a Wife” very well done.  And here also I did look long upon my Lady Castlemaine, who, notwithstanding her late sickness, continues a great beauty.  Home and supped with Sir W. Pen and played at cards with him, and so home and to bed, putting some cataplasm to my . . . . which begins to swell again.

6th.  At my musique practice, and so into my cellar to my workmen, and I am very much pleased with my alteracon there.  About noon comes my uncle Thomas to me to ask for his annuity, and I did tell him my mind freely.  We had some high words, but I was willing to end all in peace, and so I made him’ dine with me, and I have hopes to work my end upon him.  After dinner the barber trimmed me, and so to the office, where I do begin to be exact in my duty there and exacting my privileges, and shall continue to do so.  None but Sir W. Batten and me here to-night, and so we broke up early, and I home and to my chamber to put things in order, and so to bed.  My swelling I think do begin to go away again.