ttee; spent the afternoon in reading and ordering with a
great deal of alteration, and yet methinks never a whit the better, of
a letter drawn by Creed to my Lord Rutherford. The Lords being against
anything that looked to be rough, though it was in matter of money and
accounts, wherein their courtship may cost the King dear. Only I do see
by them, that speaking in matters distasteful to him that we write
to, it is best to do it in the plainest way and without ambages or
reasoning, but only say matters of fact, and leave the party to collect
your meaning. Thence by water to my brother's, and there I hear my wife
is come and gone home, and my father is come to town also, at which
I wondered. But I discern it is to give my brother advice about his
business, and it may be to pacify me about the differences that have
been between my wife and him and my mother at her late being with them.
Though by and by he coming to Mr. Holden's (where I was buying a hat)
he took no notice to me of anything. I talked to him a little while and
left him to lie at the end of the town, and I home, where methought I
found my wife strange, not knowing, I believe, in what temper she could
expect me to be in, but I fell to kind words, and so we were very kind,
only she could not forbear telling me how she had been used by them and
her mayde, Ashwell, in the country, but I find it will be best not to
examine it, for I doubt she's in fault too, and therefore I seek to put
it off from my hearing, and so to bed and there entertained her with
great content, and so to sleep.

13th. Lay long in bed with my wife talking of family matters, and so
up and to the office, where we sat all the' morning, and then home to
dinner, and after dinner my wife and I to talk again about getting of a
couple of good mayds and to part with Ashwell, which troubles me for her
father's sake, though I shall be glad to have the charge taken away of
keeping a woman. Thence a little to the office, and so abroad with my
wife by water to White Hall, and there at my Lord's lodgings met my Lady
Jemimah, with whom we staid a good while. Thence to Mrs. Hunt's, where
I left my wife, and I to walk a little in St. James's Park, while Mrs.
Harper might come home, with whom we came to speak about her kinswoman
Jane Gentleman to come and live with us as a chamber mayde, and there
met with Mr. Hoole my old acquaintance of Magdalen, and walked with him
an hour in the Parke, discoursing chiefly