home or no, Sir William
and I went to his house, where we waited a good while, they being at
prayers, and by and by we went up to him; there the business was about
hastening the East India ships, about which we are to meet to-morrow in
the afternoon. So home to my house, and Sir William supped with me, and
so to bed.

3rd. All the morning at home about business with my brother Tom, and
then with Mr. Moore, and then I set to make some strict rules for my
future practice in my expenses, which I did bind myself in the presence
of God by oath to observe upon penalty therein set down, and I do not
doubt but hereafter to give a good account of my time and to grow rich,
for I do find a great deal more of content in these few days, that I do
spend well about my business, than in all the pleasure of a whole week,
besides the trouble which I remember I always have after that for the
expense of my money. Dined at home, and then up to my chamber again
about business, and so to the office about despatching of the East India
ships, where we staid till 8 at night, and then after I had been at Sir
W. Pen's awhile discoursing with him and Mr. Kenard the joiner about
the new building in his house, I went home, where I found a vessel of
oysters sent me from Chatham, so I fell to eat some and then to supper,
and so after the barber had done to bed. I am told that this day the
Parliament hath voted 2s. per annum for every chimney in England, as a
constant revenue for ever to the Crown.

[Although fumage or smoke money was as old as the Conquest, the
first parliamentary levy of hearth or chimney money was by statute
13 and 14 Car. II., c. 10, which gave the king an hereditary revenue
of two shillings annually upon every hearth in all houses paying
church or poor rate. This act was repealed by statute I William and
Mary, c. 10, it being declared in the preamble as "not only a great
oppression to the poorer sort, but a badge of slavery upon the whole
people, exposing every man's house to be entered into and searched
at pleasure by persons unknown to him."]

4th. At the office all the morning, dined at home at noon, and then to
the office again in the afternoon to put things in order there, my mind
being very busy in settling the office to ourselves, I having now got
distinct offices for the other two. By and by Sir W. Pen and I and my
wife in his coach to Moore Fields, where we walked a great wh