," says he, "I in myself am forced to spend many times as much." By
and by came Mr. Coventry, and so we met at the office, to hire ships for
Guinny, and that done broke up. I to Sir W. Batten's, there to discourse
with Mrs. Falconer, who hath been with Sir W. Pen this evening, after
Mr. Coventry had promised her half what W. Bodham had given him for his
place, but Sir W. Pen, though he knows that, and that Mr. Bodham hath
said that his place hath cost him L100 and would L100 more, yet is he
so high against the poor woman that he will not hear to give her a
farthing, but it seems do listen after a lease where he expects Mr.
Falconer hath put in his daughter's life, and he is afraid that that is
not done, and did tell Mrs. Falconer that he would see it and know what
is done therein in spite of her, when, poor wretch, she neither do nor
can hinder him the knowing it. Mr. Coventry knows of this business of
the lease, and I believe do think of it as well as I. But the poor woman
is gone home without any hope, but only Mr. Coventry's own nobleness. So
I to my office and wrote many letters, and so to supper and to bed.

21st (Lord's day). Waked about 4 o'clock with my wife, having a
looseness, and peoples coming in the yard to the pump to draw water
several times, so that fear of this day's fire made me fearful, and
called Besse and sent her down to see, and it was Griffin's maid for
water to wash her house. So to sleep again, and then lay talking till
9 o'clock. So up and drunk three bottles of Epsum water, which wrought
well with me. I all the morning and most of the afternoon after dinner
putting papers to rights in my chamber, and the like in the evening till
night at my office, and renewing and writing fair over my vowes. So home
to supper, prayers, and to bed. Mr. Coventry told us the Duke was gone
ill of a fit of an ague to bed; so we sent this morning to see how he
do.

[Elizabeth Falkener, wife of John Falkener, announced to Pepys the
death of "her dear and loving husband" in a letter dated July 19th,
1664 "begs interest that she may be in something considered by the
person succeeding her husband in his employment, which has
occasioned great expenses." ("Calendar of State Papers," Domestic,
1663-64, p. 646)]

22nd. Up and abroad, doing very many errands to my great content which
lay as burdens upon my mind and memory. Home to dinner, and so to
White Hall, setting down my wife at her fat