e pies, and by and by comes in Captain Ferrers to see us, and, among
other talke, tells us of the goodness of the new play of "Henry VIII.,"
which makes me think [it] long till my time is out; but I hope before I
go I shall set myself such a stint as I may not forget myself as I have
hitherto done till I was forced for these months last past wholly to
forbid myself the seeing of one. He gone I to my office and there late
writing and reading, and so home to bed.

25th (Christmas day). Lay long talking pleasantly with my wife, but
among other things she begun, I know not whether by design or chance, to
enquire what she should do if I should by any accident die, to which I
did give her some slight answer; but shall make good use of it to bring
myself to some settlement for her sake, by making a will as soon as I
can. Up and to church, where Mr. Mills made an ordinary sermon, and so
home and dined with great pleasure with my wife, and all the afternoon
first looking out at window and seeing the boys playing at many several
sports in our back yard by Sir W. Pen's, which reminded me of my own
former times, and then I began to read to my wife upon the globes with
great pleasure and to good purpose, for it will be pleasant to her and
to me to have her understand these things. In the evening at the
office, where I staid late reading Rushworth, which is a most excellent
collection of the beginning of the late quarrels in this kingdom, and so
home to supper and to bed, with good content of mind.

26th. Up and walked forth first to the Minerys to Brown's, and there
with great pleasure saw and bespoke several instruments, and so to
Cornhill to Mr. Cades, and there went up into his warehouse to look
for a map or two, and there finding great plenty of good pictures, God
forgive me! how my mind run upon them, and bought a little one for my
wife's closett presently, and concluded presently of buying L10 worth,
upon condition he would give me the buying of them. Now it is true I did
still within me resolve to make the King one way or other pay for them,
though I saved it to him another way, yet I find myself too forward to
fix upon the expense, and came away with a resolution of buying them,
but do hope that I shall not upon second thoughts do it without a way
made out before I buy them to myself how to do [it] without charge to my
main stock. Thence to the Coffee-house, and sat long in good discourse
with some gentlemen concerning the R