ater 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 up and down, and among other things visited Sir G. Carteret,
and much talk with him, who is discontented, as he hath reason, to see how
things are like to come all to naught, and it is very much that this
resolution of having of country Admirals should not come to his eare