me; and also, she had messages from her mother to-day, who sent for her old morning-gown, which was almost past wearing; and I used to call it her kingdom, from the ease and content she used to have in the wearing of it.  I am glad I do not hear of her begging any thing of more value, but I do not like that these messages should now come all upon Monday morning, when my wife expects of course I should be abroad at the Duke’s.  To the office, where Mr. Norman came and showed me a design of his for the storekeeper’s books, for the keeping of them regular in order to a balance, which I am mightily satisfied to see, and shall love the fellow the better, as he is in all things sober, so particularly for his endeavour to do something in this thing so much wanted.  So late home to supper and to bed, weary-with walking so long to no purpose in the Park to-day.

29th.  Was called up this morning by a messenger from Sir G. Carteret to come to him to Sir W. Batten’s, and so I rose and thither to him, and with him and Sir J. Minnes to, Sir G. Carteret’s to examine his accounts, and there we sat at it all the morning.  About noon Sir W. Batten came from the House of Parliament and told us our Bill for our office was read the second time to-day, with great applause, and is committed.  By and by to dinner, where good cheere, and Sir G. Carteret in his humour a very good man, and the most kind father and pleased father in his children that ever I saw.  Here is now hung up a picture of my Lady Carteret, drawn by Lilly, a very fine picture, but yet not so good as I have seen of his doing.  After dinner to the business again without any intermission till almost night, and then home, and took coach to my father to see and discourse with him, and so home again and to my office, where late, and then home to bed.

30th.  Up very betimes to my office, and thence at 7 o’clock to Sir G. Carteret, and there with Sir J. Minnes made an end of his accounts, but staid not dinner, my Lady having made us drink our morning draft there of several wines, but I drank:  nothing but some of her coffee, which was poorly made, with a little sugar in it.  Thence to the ’Change a great while, and had good discourse with Captain Cocke at the Coffee-house about a Dutch warr, and it seems the King’s design is by getting underhand the merchants to bring in their complaints to the Parliament, to make them in honour begin a warr, which he cannot in honour declare first, for fear they should not second him with money.  Thence homewards, staying a pretty while with my little she milliner at the end of Birchin Lane, talking and buying gloves of her, and then home to dinner, and in the afternoon had a meeting upon the Chest business, but I fear unless I have time to look after it nothing will be done,, and that I fear I shall not.  In the evening comes Sir W. Batten, who tells us that the Committee have approved of our bill with very few amendments in words, not in matter.  So to my office, where late with Sir W. Warren, and so home to supper and to bed.