rse; a most
vicious person, and one whom Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, to-day (at which I
laugh to myself), did tell me that he offered his wife L300 per annum to
be his mistress. He also told me that none in Court hath more the
King's ear now than Sir Charles Barkeley, and Sir H. Bennet, and my
Lady Castlemaine, whose interest is now as great as ever and that Mrs.
Haslerigge, the great beauty, is got with child, and now brought to bed,
and lays it to the King or the Duke of York.

[The child was owned by neither of the royal brothers.--B.]

He tells me too that my Lord St. Albans' is like to be Lord Treasurer:
all which things do trouble me much. Here I staid talking a good while,
and so by water to see Mr. Moore, who is out of bed and in a way to
be well, and thence home, and with Commr. Pett by water to view Wood's
masts that he proffers to sell, which we found bad, and so to Deptford
to look over some businesses, and so home and I to my office, all our
talk being upon Sir J. M. and Sir W. B.'s base carriage against him at
their late being at Chatham, which I am sorry to hear, but I doubt not
but we shall fling Sir W. B. upon his back ere long. At my office, I
hearing Sir W. Pen was not well, I went to him to see, and sat with him,
and so home and to bed.

18th. This morning, having resolved of my brother's entertaining his
mistress's mother to-morrow, I sent my wife thither to-day to lie there
to-night and to direct him in the business, and I all the morning at the
office, and the afternoon intent upon my workmen, especially my joyners,
who will make my dining room very pretty. At night to my office to
dispatch business, and then to see Sir W. Pen, who continues in great
pain, and so home and alone to bed, but my head being full of my own
and my brother Tom's business I could hardly sleep, though not in much
trouble, but only multitude of thoughts.

19th (Lord's day). Got me ready in the morning and put on my first new
laceband; and so neat it is, that I am resolved my great expense shall
be lacebands, and it will set off any thing else the more. So walked to
my brother's, where I met Mr. Cooke, and discoursing with him do find
that he and Tom have promised a joynture of L50 to his mistress, and say
that I did give my consent that she should be joyntured in L30 per ann.
for Sturtlow, and the rest to be made up out of her portion. At which
I was stark mad, and very angry the business should be carried with
so muc