troubled to see he minds me no more, and with Creed called at several churches, which, God knows, are supplied with very young men, and the churches very empty; so home and at our owne church looked in, and there heard one preach whom Sir W. Pen brought, which he desired us yesterday to hear, that had been his chaplin in Ireland, a very silly fellow.  So home and to dinner, and after dinner a frolique took us, we would go this afternoon to the Hope; so my wife dressed herself, and, with good victuals and drink, we took boat presently and the tide with us got down, but it was night, and the tide spent by the time we got to Gravesend; so there we stopped, but went not on shore, only Creed, to get some cherries,

[Pliny tells us that cherries were introduced into Britain by the Romans, and Lydgate alludes to them as sold in the London streets.  Richard Haines, fruiterer to Henry vi il, imported a number of cherry trees from Flanders, and planted them at Tenham, in Kent.  Hence the fame of the Kentish cherries.]

and send a letter to the Hope, where the Fleete lies.  And so, it being rainy, and thundering mightily, and lightning, we returned.  By and by the evening turned mighty clear and moonshine; we got with great pleasure home, about twelve o’clock, which did much please us, Creed telling pretty stories in the boat.  He lay with me all night.

27th.  Up, and he and I walked to Paul’s Church yard, and there saw Sir Harry Spillman’s book, and I bespoke it and others, and thence we took coach, and he to my Lord’s and I to St. James’s, where we did our usual business, and thence I home and dined, and then by water to Woolwich, and there spent the afternoon till night under pretence of buying Captain Blackman’s house and grounds, and viewing the ground took notice of Clothiers’ cordage with which he, I believe, thinks to cheat the King.  That being done I by water home, it being night first, and there I find our new mayd Jane come, a cook mayd.  So to bed.

28th.  Up, and this day put on a half shirt first this summer, it being very hot; and yet so ill-tempered I am grown, that I am afeard I shall catch cold, while all the world is ready to melt away.  To the office all the morning, at noon to dinner at home, then to my office till the evening, then out about several businesses and then by appointment to the ’Change, and thence with my uncle Wight to the Mum house, and there drinking, he do complain of his wife most cruel as the most troublesome woman in the world, and how she will have her will, saying she brought him a portion and God knows what.  By which, with many instances more, I perceive they do live a sad life together.  Thence to the Mitre and there comes Dr. Burnett to us and Mr. Maes, but the meeting was chiefly to bring the Doctor and me together, and there I began to have his advice about my disease, and then invited him to my house:  and I am resolved to put myself into his hands.  Here very late, but I drank nothing, nor will, though he do advise me to take care of cold drinks.  So home and to bed.