to our good sure, and he declaring her jealous of him that so he dares not come to see my wife as otherwise he would do and will endeavour to do.  It looks strange putting all together, but yet I am in hopes he means well.  My aunt also is mighty open to my wife and tells her mighty plain how her husband did intend to double her portion to her at his death as a jointure.  That he will give presently L100 to her niece Mary and a good legacy at his death, and it seems did as much to the other sister, which vexed [me] to think that he should bestow so much upon his wife’s friends daily as he do, but it cannot be helped for the time past, and I will endeavour to remedy it for the time to come.  After all this discourse with my wife at my office alone, she home to see how the wash goes on and I to make an end of my work, and so home to supper and to bed.

23rd.  Up, it being Shrove Tuesday, and at the office sat all the morning, at noon to the ’Change and there met with Sir W. Rider, and of a sudden knowing what I had at home, brought him and Mr. Cutler and Mr. Cooke, clerk to Mr. Secretary Morrice, a sober and pleasant man, and one that I knew heretofore, when he was my Lord ’s secretary at Dunkirke.  I made much of them and had a pretty dinner for a sudden.  We talked very pleasantly, and they many good discourses of their travels abroad.  After dinner they gone, I to my office, where doing many businesses very late, but to my good content to see how I grow in estimation every day more and more, and have things given more oftener than I used to have formerly, as to have a case of very pretty knives with agate shafts by Mrs. Russell.  So home and to bed.  This day, by the blessing of God, I have lived thirty-one years in the world; and, by the grace of God, I find myself not only in good health in every thing, and particularly as to the stone, but only pain upon taking cold, and also in a fair way of coming to a better esteem and estate in the world, than ever I expected.  But I pray God give me a heart to fear a fall, and to prepare for it!

24th (Ash-Wednesday).  Up and by water, it being a very fine morning, to White Hall, and there to speak with Sir Ph.  Warwicke, but he was gone out to chappell, so I spent much of the morning walking in the Park, and going to the Queene’s chappell, where I staid and saw their masse, till a man came and bid me go out or kneel down:  so I did go out.  And thence to Somerset House; and there into the chappell, where Monsieur d’Espagne used to preach.  But now it is made very fine, and was ten times more crouded than the Queene’s chappell at St. James’s; which I wonder at.  Thence down to the garden of Somerset House, and up and down the new building, which in every respect will be mighty magnificent and costly.  I staid a great while talking with a man in the garden that was sawing of a piece of marble, and did give him 6d. to drink.  He told me much of the nature and labour of the worke, how