Commissioners lost their labour and
expectation of doing the business we intended. Thence home, where I find
Mr. Lovett and his wife came to see us. They are a pretty couple, and
she a fine bred woman. They dined with us, and Browne, the paynter, and
she plays finely on the lute. My wife and I were well pleased with her
company. After dinner broke up, I to the office and they abroad. All the
afternoon I busy at the office, and down by water to Deptford. Walked
back to Redriffe, and so home to the office again, being thoughtfull
how to answer Sir W. Coventry against to-morrow in the business of the
Victualling, but that I do trust to Tom Wilson, that he will be ready
with a book for me to-morrow morning. So to bed, my wife telling me
where she hath been to-day with my aunt Wight, and seen Mrs. Margaret
Wight, and says that she is one of the beautifullest women that ever she
saw in her life, the most excellent nose and mouth. They have been also
to see pretty Mrs. Batelier, and conclude her to be a prettier woman
than Mrs. Pierce, whom my wife led my aunt to see also this day.

29th (King's birth-day and Restauration day). Waked with the ringing
of the bells all over the towne; so up before five o'clock, and to the
office, where we met, and I all the morning with great trouble upon
my spirit to think how I should come off in the afternoon when Sir W.
Coventry did go to the Victualling office to see the state of matters
there, and methinks by his doing of it without speaking to me, and only
with Sir W. Pen, it must be of design to find my negligence. However,
at noon I did, upon a small invitation of Sir W. Pen's, go and dine with
Sir W. Coventry at his office, where great good cheer and many pleasant
stories of Sir W. Coventry; but I had no pleasure in them. However, I
had last night and this morning made myself a little able to report
how matters were, and did readily go with them after dinner to the
Victualling office; and there, beyond belief, did acquit myself very
well to full content; so that, beyond expectation, I got over this
second rub in this business; and if ever I fall on it again, I deserve
to be undone. Being broke up there, I with a merry heart home to my
office, and thither my wife comes to me, to tell me, that if I would see
the handsomest woman in England, I shall come home presently; and who
should it be but the pretty lady of our parish, that did heretofore sit
on the other side of our church, over ag