. Howe home and dined. So after dinner to my
office, and there busy till late at night, having had among other things
much discourse with young Gregory about the Chest business, wherein Sir
W. Batten is so great a knave, and also with Alsop and Lanyon about the
Tangier victualling, wherein I hope to get something for myself. Late
home to supper and to bed, being full of thoughts of a sudden resolution
this day taken upon the 'Change of going down to-morrow to the Hope.

6th. Up very betimes, and my wife also, and got us ready; and about
eight o'clock, having got some bottles of wine and beer and neat's
tongues, we went to our barge at the Towre, where Mr. Pierce and his
wife, and a kinswoman and his sister, and Mrs. Clerke and her sister and
cozen were to expect us; and so set out for the Hope, all the way down
playing at cards and other sports, spending our time pretty merry. Come
to the Hope about one and there showed them all the ships, and had a
collacion of anchovies, gammon, &c., and after an houre's stay or more,
embarked again for home; and so to cards and other sports till we came
to Greenwich, and there Mrs. Clerke and my wife and I on shore to an
alehouse, for them to do their business, and so to the barge again,
having shown them the King's pleasure boat; and so home to the Bridge,
bringing night home with us; and it rained hard, but we got them on foot
to the Beare, and there put them into a boat, and I back to my wife in
the barge, and so to the Tower Wharf and home, being very well pleased
today with the company, especially Mrs. Pierce, who continues her
complexion as well as ever, and hath, at this day, I think, the best
complexion that ever I saw on any woman, young or old, or child either,
all days of my life. Also Mrs. Clerke's kinswoman sings very prettily,
but is very confident in it; Mrs. Clerke herself witty, but spoils all
in being so conceited and making so great a flutter with a few fine
clothes and some bad tawdry things worne with them. But the charge of
the barge lies heavy upon me, which troubles me, but it is but once, and
I may make Pierce do me some courtesy as great. Being come home, I weary
to bed with sitting. The reason of Dr. Clerke's not being here was the
King's being sicke last night and let blood, and so he durst not come
away to-day.

7th. Up, and this day begun, the first day this year, to put off my
linnen waistcoat, but it happening to be a cool day I was afraid of
taking c