3rd.  Up pretty early and so to the office, where we sat all the morning making a very great contract with Sir W. Warren for provisions for the yeare coming, and so home to dinner, and there was W. Howe come to dine with me, and before dinner he and I walked in the garden, and we did discourse together, he assuring me of what he told me the other day of my Lord’s speaking so highly in my commendation to my Lord Peterborough and Povy, which speaks my Lord having yet a good opinion of me, and also how well my Lord and Lady both are pleased with their children’s being at my father’s, and when the bigger ladies were there a little while ago, at which I am very glad.  After dinner he went away, I having discoursed with him about his own proceedings in his studies, and I observe him to be very considerate and to mind his book in order to preferring himself by my Lord’s favour to something, and I hope to the outing of Creed in his Secretaryship.  For he tells me that he is confident my Lord do not love him nor will trust him in any secret matter, he is so cunning and crafty in all he do.  So my wife and I out of doors thinking to have gone to have seen a play, but when we came to take coach, they tell us there are none this week, being the first of Lent.  But, Lord! to see how impatient I found myself within to see a play, I being at liberty once a month to see one, and I think it is the best method I could have taken.  But to my office, did very much business with several people till night, and so home, being unwilling to stay late because of my eye which is not yet well of the rheum that is fallen down into it, but to supper and to bed.

4th.  Up, my eye being pretty well, and then by coach to my Lord Sandwich, with whom I spoke, walking a good while with him in his garden, which and the house is very fine, talking of my Lord Peterborough’s accounts, wherein he is concerned both for the foolery as also inconvenience which may happen upon my Lord Peterborough’s ill-stating of his matters, so as to have his gaine discovered unnecessarily.  We did talk long and freely that I hope the worst is past and all will be well.  There were several people by trying a new-fashion gun

[Many attempts to produce a satisfactory revolver were made in former centuries, but it was not till the present one that Colt’s revolver was invented.  On February 18th, 1661, Edward, Marquis of Worcester, obtained Letters Patent for “an invencon to make certeyne guns or pistolls which in the tenth parte of one minute of an houre may, with a flaske contrived to that purpose, be re-charged the fourth part of one turne of the barrell which remaines still fixt, fastening it as forceably and effectually as a dozen thrids of any scrue, which in the ordinary and usual way require as many turnes.”  On March 3rd, 1664, Abraham Hill obtained Letters Patent for a “gun or pistoll for small shott, carrying seaven or eight charges of the same in the stocke