3rd.  Called up by Commissioner Pett, and with him by water, much against my will, to Deptford, and after drinking a warm morning draft, with Mr. Wood and our officers measuring all the morning his New England masts, with which sight I was much pleased for my information, though I perceive great neglect and indifference in all the King’s officers in what they do for the King.  That done, to the Globe, and there dined with Mr. Wood, and so by water with Mr. Pett home again, all the way reading his Chest accounts, in which I did see things did not please me; as his allowing himself 1300 for one year’s looking to the business of the Chest, and L150 per annum for the rest of the years.  But I found no fault to him himself, but shall when they come to be read at the Board.  We did also call at Limehouse to view two Busses that are building, that being a thing we are now very hot upon.  Our call was to see what dimensions they are of, being 50 feet by the keel and about 60 tons.  Home and did a little business, and so taking Mr. Pett by the way, we walked to the Temple, in our way seeing one of the Russia Embassador’s coaches go along, with his footmen not in liverys, but their country habits; one of one colour and another of another, which was very strange.  At the Temple spoke with Mr. Turner and Calthrop, and so walked home again, being in some pain through the cold which I have got to-day by water, which troubles me.  At the office doing business a good while, and so home and had a posset, and so to bed.

4th.  At the office all the morning setting about business, and after dinner to it again, and so till night, and then home looking over my Brampton papers against to-morrow that we are to meet with our counsel on both sides toward an arbitration, upon which I was very late, and so to bed.

5th.  Up, it being a snow and hard frost, and being up I did call up Sarah, who do go away to-day or to-morrow.  I paid her her wages, and gave her 10s. myself, and my wife 5s. to give her.  For my part I think never servant and mistress parted upon such foolish terms in the world as they do, only for an opinion in my wife that she is ill-natured, in all other things being a good servant.  The wench cried, and I was ready to cry too, but to keep peace I am content she should go, and the rather, though I say nothing of that, that Jane may come into her place.  This being done, I walked towards Guildhall, thither being summoned by the Commissioners for the Lieutenancy; but they sat not this morning.  So meeting in my way W. Swan, I took him to a house thereabouts, and gave him a morning draft of buttered ale;

     [Buttered ale must have been a horrible concoction, as it is
     described as ale boiled with lump sugar and spice.]