ill come to
her the next week), and I at my office late, and then to my lodgings to
bed.

24th (Sunday). Up betimes, to my Lord Duke of Albemarle by water,
and after some talke with him about business of the office with great
content, and so back again and to dinner, my landlady and her daughters
with me, and had mince-pies, and very merry at a mischance her young son
had in tearing of his new coate quite down the outside of his sleeve
in the whole cloth, one of the strangest mishaps that ever I saw in my
life. Then to church, and placed myself in the Parson's pew under the
pulpit, to hear Mrs. Chamberlain in the next pew sing, who is daughter
to Sir James Bunch, of whom I have heard much, and indeed she sings
very finely, and from church met with Sir W. Warren and he and I walked
together talking about his and my businesses, getting of money as fairly
as we can, and, having set him part of his way home, I walked to my
Lord Bruncker, whom I heard was at Alderman Hooker's, hoping to see and
salute Mrs. Lethulier, whom I did see in passing, but no opportunity of
beginning acquaintance, but a very noble lady she is, however the silly
alderman got her. Here we sat talking a great while, Sir The. Biddulph
and Mr. Vaughan, a son-in-law of Alderman Hooker's. Hence with my Lord
Bruncker home and sat a little with him and so home to bed.

25th (Christmas-day). To church in the morning, and there saw a wedding
in the church, which I have not seen many a day; and the young people
so merry one with another, and strange to see what delight we married
people have to see these poor fools decoyed into our condition, every
man and woman gazing and smiling at them. Here I saw again my beauty
Lethulier. Thence to my Lord Bruncker's by invitation and dined there,
and so home to look over and settle my papers, both of my accounts
private, and those of Tangier, which I have let go so long that it were
impossible for any soul, had I died, to understand them, or ever come
to any good end in them. I hope God will never suffer me to come to that
disorder again.

26th. Up, and to the office, where Sir J. Minnes and my Lord Bruncker
and I met, to give our directions to the Commanders of all the ships
in the river to bring in lists of their ships' companies, with entries,
discharges, &c., all the last voyage, where young Seymour, among 20 that
stood bare, stood with his hat on, a proud, saucy young man. Thence with
them to Mr. Cuttle's, being in