s, and then to my
office till late, doing great deal of business, and settling my mind
in pretty good order as to my business, though at present they are very
many. So home and to bed. This night was buried, as I hear by the bells
at Barking Church, my poor Morena,

[The burial of Elizabeth, daughter of John Dekins or Dickens, is
recorded in the parish register of All Hallows, Barking, as having
taken place on October 22nd. See ante, October 3rd]

whose sickness being desperate, did kill her poor father; and he being
dead for sorrow, she could not recover, nor desire to live, but from
that time do languish more and more, and so is now dead and buried.

23rd. Up and among my workmen, and so to the office, and there sitting
all the morning we stept all out to visit Sir W. Batten, who it seems
has not been well all yesterday, but being let blood is now pretty well,
and Sir W. Pen after office I went to see, but he continues in great
pain of the gout and in bed, cannot stir hand nor foot but with great
pain. So to my office all the evening putting things public and private
in order, and so at night home and to supper and to bed, finding great
content since I am come to follow my business again, which God preserve
in me.

24th. After with great pleasure lying a great while talking and sporting
in bed with my wife (for we have been for some years now, and at present
more and more, a very happy couple, blessed be God), I got up and to my
office, and having done there some business, I by water, and then
walked to Deptford to discourse with Mr. Lowly and Davis about my late
conceptions about keeping books of the distinct works done in the yards,
against which I find no objection but their ignorance and unwillingness
to do anything of pains and what is out of their ordinary dull road, but
I like it well, and will proceed in it. So home and dined there with my
wife upon a most excellent dish of tripes of my own directing, covered
with, mustard, as I have heretofore seen them done at my Lord Crew's, of
which I made a very great meal, and sent for a glass of wine for myself,
and so to see Sir W. Pen, who continues bed-rid in great pain, and hence
to the Treasury to Sir J. Minnes paying off of tickets, and at night
home, and in my study (after seeing Sir W. Batten, who also continues
ill) I fell to draw out my conceptions about books for the clerk that
cheques in the yard to keep according to the distinct works the