ce
with Creed to the 'Change and Coffee-house, and so home, where a brave
dinner, by having a brace of pheasants and very merry about Povy's
folly. So anon to the office, and there sitting very late, and then
after a little time at Sir W. Batten's, where I am mighty great and
could if I thought it fit continue so, I to the office again, and there
very late, and so home to the sorting of some of my books, and so to
bed, the weather becoming pretty warm, and I think and hope the frost
will break.

18th. Up and by and by to my bookseller's, and there did give thorough
direction for the new binding of a great many of my old books, to make
my whole study of the same binding, within very few. Thence to my Lady
Sandwich's, who sent for me this morning. Dined with her, and it was to
get a letter of hers conveyed by a safe hand to my Lord's owne hand at
Portsmouth, which I did undertake. Here my Lady did begin to talk of
what she had heard concerning Creed, of his being suspected to be a
fanatique and a false fellow. I told her I thought he was as shrewd and
cunning a man as any in England, and one that I would feare first should
outwit me in any thing. To which she readily concurred. Thence to Mr.
Povy's by agreement, and there with Mr. Sherwin, Auditor Beale, and
Creed and I hard at it very late about Mr. Povy's accounts, but such
accounts I never did see, or hope again to see in my days. At night,
late, they gone, I did get him to put out of this account our sums that
are in posse only yet, which he approved of when told, but would never
have stayed it if I had been gone. Thence at 9 at night home, and so to
supper vexed and my head akeing and to bed.

19th. Up, and it being yesterday and to-day a great thaw it is not for
a man to walk the streets, but took coach and to Mr. Povy's, and there
meeting all of us again agreed upon an answer to the Lords by and by,
and thence we did come to Exeter House, and there was a witness of most
[base] language against Mr. Povy, from my Lord Peterborough, who is most
furiously angry with him, because the other, as a foole, would needs
say that the L26,000 was my Lord Peterborough's account, and that he had
nothing to do with it. The Lords did find fault also with our answer,
but I think really my Lord Ashly would fain have the outside of
an Exchequer,--[This word is blotted, and the whole sentence is
confused.]--but when we come better to be examined. So home by coach,
with my Lord Barkel