home and to my study, and so to my lodgings and
to bed.

23rd. Up betimes and with my workmen, taking some pleasure to see my
work come towards an end, though I am vexed every day enough with their
delay. We met and sat all the morning, dined at home alone, and with
my workmen all the afternoon, and in the evening by water and land to
Deptford to give order for things about my house, and came back again
by coach with Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Batten (who has been at a Pay
to-day), and to my office and did some business, and so to supper and to
my lodgings, and so to bed. In our coming home Sir G. Carteret told me
how in most cabaretts in France they have writ upon the walls in fair
letters to be read, "Dieu te regarde," as a good lesson to be in every
man's mind, and have also, as in Holland, their poor's box; in both
which places at the making all contracts and bargains they give so much,
which they call God's penny.

24th. Up betimes and among my workmen, and among them all the morning
till noon, and then to my Lord Crew's, and there dined alone with him,
and among other things he do advise me by all means to keep my Lord
Sandwich from proceeding too far in the business of Tangier. First, for
that he is confident the King will not be able to find money for the
building the Mole; and next, for that it is to be done as we propose it
by the reducing of the garrison; and then either my Lord must oppose
the Duke of York, who will have the Irish regiment under the command of
Fitzgerald continued, or else my Lord Peterborough, who is concerned to
have the English continued, and he, it seems, is gone back again
merely upon my Lord Sandwich's encouragement. Thence to Mr. Wotton, the
shoemaker's, and there bought a pair of boots, cost me 30s., and he
told me how Bird hath lately broke his leg, while he was fencing in
"Aglaura," upon the stage, and that the new theatre of all will be ready
against term. So to my brother's, and there discoursed with him and Mr.
Cooke about their journey to Tom's mistress again, and I did speak with
Mr. Croxton about measuring of silk flags. So by water home and to my
workmen, and so at night till late at my office, inditing a letter from
Tom to his mistress upon his sending her a watch for a token, and so
home and to supper, and to my lodgings and to bed. It is my content that
by several hands to-day I hear that I have the name of good-natured man
among the poor people that come to the office.