to take pains and very sober.
He being gone, I close at my office all the afternoon getting off of
hand my papers, which, by the late holidays and my laziness, were grown
too many upon my hands, to my great trouble, and therefore at it as
late as my eyes would give me leave, and then by water down to Redriffe,
meaning to meet my wife, who is gone with Mercer, Barker, and the boy
(it being most sweet weather) to walk, and I did meet with them, and
walked back, and then by the time we got home it was dark, and we
staid singing in the garden till supper was ready, and there with great
pleasure. But I tried my girles Mercer and Barker singly one after
another, a single song, "At dead low ebb," etc., and I do clearly find
that as to manner of singing the latter do much the better, the other
thinking herself as I do myself above taking pains for a manner of
singing, contenting ourselves with the judgment and goodness of eare. So
to supper, and then parted and to bed.

13th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and strange
how the false fellow Commissioner. Pett was eager to have had Carcasses
business brought on to-day that he might give my Lord Bruncker (who
hates him, I am sure, and hath spoke as much against him to the King
in my hearing as any man) a cast of his office in pleading for his man
Carcasse, but I did prevent its being brought on to-day, and so broke
up, and I home to dinner, and after dinner with a little singing with
some pleasure alone with my poor wife, and then to the office, where
sat all the afternoon till late at night, and then home to supper and to
bed, my eyes troubling me still after candle-light, which troubles me.
Wrote to my father, who, I am glad to hear, is at some ease again, and I
long to have him in town, that I may see what can be done for him
here; for I would fain do all I can that I may have him live, and take
pleasure in my doing well in the world. This afternoon come Mrs. Lowther
to me to the office, and there je did toker ses mammailles and did
baiser them and su bocca, which she took fort willingly....

14th (Lord's day). Up, and to read a little in my new History of Turkey,
and so with my wife to church, and then home, where is little Michell
and my pretty Betty and also Mercer, and very merry. A good dinner of
roast beef. After dinner I away to take water at the Tower, and thence
to Westminster, where Mrs. Martin was not at home. So to White Hall,
and there walked