ttle that
vexes me, for I see that she is confirmed in it that all that I do is by
design, and that my very keeping of the house in dirt, and the doing of
this and any thing else in the house, is but to find her employment to
keep her within and from minding of her pleasure, in which, though I
am sorry to see she minds it, is true enough in a great degree. To my
office, and there we sat and despatched much business. Home and dined
with my wife well, and then up and made clean my closet of books, and
had my chamber a third time made very clean, so that it is now in a very
fine condition. Thence down to see some good plank in the river with Sir
W. Batten and back again, it being a very cold day and a cold wind. Home
again, and after seeing Sir W. Pen, to my office, and there till late
doing of business, being mightily encouraged by every body that I meet
withal upon the 'Change and every where else, that I am taken notice
of for a man that do the King's business wholly and well. For which the
Lord be praised, for I know no honour I desire more. Home to supper,
where I find my house very clean from top to bottom again to my great
content. I found a feacho (as he calls it) of fine sugar and a case of
orange-flower water come from Mr. Cocke, of Lisbon, the fruits of my
last year's service to him, which I did in great justice to the man, a
perfect stranger. He sends it me desiring that I would not let Sir J.
Minnes know it, from whom he expected to have found the service done
that he had from me, from whom he could expect nothing, and the other
failed him, and would have done I am sure to this day had not I brought
it to some end. After supper to bed.

28th. At the office betimes (it being cold all night and this morning,
and a very great frost they say abroad, which is much, having had no
summer at all almost), where we sat, and in the afternoon also about
settling the establishment of the number of men borne on ships, &c.,
till the evening, and after that in my closet till late, and quite tired
with business, home to supper and to bed.

29th. Abroad with my wife by water to Westminster, and there left her at
my Lord's lodgings, and I to Jervas the barber's, and there was trimmed,
and did deliver back a periwigg, which he brought by my desire the
other day to show me, having some thoughts, though no great desire or
resolution yet to wear one, and so I put it off for a while. Thence to
my wife, and calling at both the Exchan