I being now come to the time that I have long ago promised my wife a
necklace. Dined at home and took Balty with me to Hales's to show him
his sister's picture, and thence to Westminster, and there I to the Swan
and drank, and so back again alone to Hales's and there met my wife and
Mercer, Mrs. Pierce being sitting, and two or three idle people of her
acquaintance more standing by. Her picture do come on well. So staid
until she had done and then set her down at home, and my wife and I and
the girle by coach to Islington, and there eat and drank in the coach
and so home, and there find a girle sent at my desire by Mrs. Michell of
Westminster Hall, to be my girle under the cooke-mayde, Susan. But I am
a little dissatisfied that the girle, though young, is taller and bigger
than Su, and will not, I fear, be under her command, which will trouble
me, and the more because she is recommended by a friend that I would not
have any unkindness with, but my wife do like very well of her. So to
my accounts and journall at my chamber, there being bonfires in the
streete, for being St. George's day, and the King's Coronation, and the
day of the Prince and Duke's going to sea. So having done my business,
to bed.

24th. Up, and presently am told that the girle that came yesterday hath
packed up her things to be gone home again to Enfield, whence she come,
which I was glad of, that we might be at first rid of her altogether
rather than be liable to her going away hereafter. The reason was that
London do not agree with her. So I did give her something, and away she
went. By and by comes Mr. Bland to me, the first time since his coming
from Tangier, and tells me, in short, how all things are out of order
there, and like to be; and the place never likely to come to anything
while the soldiers govern all, and do not encourage trade. He gone I to
the office, where all the morning, and so to dinner, and there in the
afternoon very busy all day till late, and so home to supper and to bed.

25th. Up, and to White Hall to the Duke as usual, and did our business
there. So I away to Westminster (Batty with me, whom I had presented to
Sir W. Coventry) and there told Mrs. Michell of her kinswoman's running
away, which troubled her. So home, and there find another little girle
come from my wife's mother, likely to do well. After dinner I to the
office, where Mr. Prin come to meet about the Chest business; and till
company come, did discourse with me