bear
me out. At night home, and Mr. Spong came to me, and so he and I sat
singing upon the leads till almost ten at night and so he went away
(a pretty, harmless, and ingenious man), and I to bed, in a very great
content of mind, which I hope by my care still in my business will
continue to me.

25th. Up by four o'clock, and put my accounts with my Lord into a very
good order, and so to my office, where having put many things in order
I went to the Wardrobe, but found my Lord gone to Hampton Court. After
discourse with Mr. Shepley we parted, and I into Thames Street, beyond
the Bridge, and there enquired among the shops the price of tarre and
oyle, and do find great content in it, and hope to save the King money
by this practice. So home to dinner, and then to the Change, and so home
again, and at the office preparing business against to-morrow all the
afternoon. At night walked with my wife upon the leads, and so to supper
and to bed. My wife having lately a great pain in her ear, for which
this night she begins to take physique, and I have got cold and so have
a great deal of my old pain.

26th. Up and took physique, but such as to go abroad with, only to
loosen me, for I am bound. So to the office, and there all the morning
sitting till noon, and then took Commissioner Pett home to dinner with
me, where my stomach was turned when my sturgeon came to table, upon
which I saw very many little worms creeping, which I suppose was through
the staleness of the pickle. He being gone, comes Mr. Nicholson, my old
fellow-student at Magdalene, and we played three or four things upon
the violin and basse, and so parted, and I to my office till night, and
there came Mr. Shepley and Creed in order to settling some accounts of
my Lord to-night, and so to bed.

27th. Up early, not quite rid of my pain. I took more physique, and so
made myself ready to go forth. So to my Lord, who rose as soon as he
heard I was there; and in his nightgown and shirt stood talking with me
alone two hours,. I believe, concerning his greatest matters of state
and interest. Among other things, that his greatest design is, first,
to get clear of all debts to the King for the Embassy money, and then a
pardon. Then, to get his land settled; and then to, discourse and advise
what is best for him, whether to keep his sea employment longer or no.
For he do discern that the Duke would be willing to have him out, and
that by Coventry's means. And here he told