7th.  Among my workmen this morning.  By and by by water to Westminster with Commissioner Pett (landing my wife at Black Friars) where I hear the prisoners in the Tower that are to die are come to the Parliament-house this morning.  To the Wardrobe to dinner with my Lady; where a civitt cat, parrot, apes, and many other things are come from my Lord by Captain Hill, who dined with my Lady with us to-day.  Thence to the Paynter’s, and am well pleased with our pictures.  So by coach home, where I found the joyners putting up my chimney-piece in the dining-room, which pleases me well, only the frame for a picture they have made so massy and heavy that I cannot tell what to do with it.  This evening came my she cozen Porter to see us (the first time that we had seen her since we came to this end of the town) and after her Mr. Hart, who both staid with us a pretty while and so went away.  By and by, hearing that Mr. Turner was much troubled at what I do in the office, and do give ill words to Sir W. Pen and others of me, I am much troubled in my mind, and so went to bed; not that I fear him at all, but the natural aptness I have to be troubled at any thing that crosses me.

8th.  All the morning in the cellar with the colliers, removing the coles out of the old cole hole into the new one, which cost me 8s. the doing; but now the cellar is done and made clean, it do please me exceedingly, as much as any thing that was ever yet done to my house.  I pray God keep me from setting my mind too much upon it.  About 3 o’clock the colliers having done I went up to dinner (my wife having often urged me to come, but my mind is so set upon these things that I cannot but be with the workmen to see things done to my mind, which if I am not there is seldom done), and so to the office, and thence to talk with Sir W. Pen, walking in the dark in the garden some turns, he telling me of the ill management of our office, and how Wood the timber merchant and others were very knaves, which I am apt to believe.  Home and wrote letters to my father and my brother John, and so to bed.  Being a little chillish, intending to take physique to-morrow morning.

9th (Lord’s day).  I took physique this day, and was all day in my chamber, talking with my wife about her laying out of L20, which I had long since promised her to lay out in clothes against Easter for herself, and composing some ayres, God forgive me!  At night to prayers and to bed.

10th.  Musique practice a good while, then to Paul’s Churchyard, and there I met with Dr. Fuller’s “England’s Worthys,” the first time that I ever saw it; and so I sat down reading in it, till it was two o’clock before I, thought of the time going, and so I rose and went home to dinner, being much troubled that (though he had some discourse with me about my family and arms) he says nothing at all, nor mentions us either in Cambridgeshire or Norfolk.  But I believe, indeed, our family were never considerable.  At home all the afternoon, and at night to bed.