hips, when he is
no more fit for it than a porter; and all the while Sir W. Pen, who is
the most fit, is unwilling to displease him, and do not look after it;
and so the King's work is like to be well done. At noon dined at home,
Lovett with us; but he do not please me in his business, for he
keeps things long in hand, and his paper do not hold so good as I
expected--the varnish wiping off in a little time--a very sponge; and
I doubt by his discourse he is an odde kind of fellow, and, in plain
terms, a very rogue. He gone, I to the office (having seen and liked the
upholsters' work in my roome--which they have almost done), and there
late, and in the evening find Mr. Batelier and his sister there and then
we talked and eat and were merry, and so parted late, and to bed.

24th. Up, and dispatched several businesses at home in the morning, and
then comes Sympson to set up my other new presses

[These presses still exist, and, according to Pepys's wish, they are
placed in the second court of Magdalene College in a room which they
exactly fit, and the books are arranged in the presses just as they
were when presented to the college.--M. B.]

for my books, and so he and I fell in to the furnishing of my new
closett, and taking out the things out of my old, and I kept him with
me all day, and he dined with me, and so all the afternoon till it was
quite darke hanging things, that is my maps and pictures and draughts,
and setting up my books, and as much as we could do, to my most
extraordinary satisfaction; so that I think it will be as noble a
closett as any man hath, and light enough--though, indeed, it would be
better to have had a little more light. He gone, my wife and I to talk,
and sup, and then to setting right my Tangier accounts and enter my
Journall, and then to bed with great content in my day's worke. This
afternoon comes Mrs. Barbary Sheldon, now Mrs. Wood, to see my wife. I
was so busy I would not see her. But she came, it seems, mighty rich in
rings and fine clothes, and like a lady, and says she is matched mighty
well, at which I am very glad, but wonder at her good fortune and the
folly of her husband, and vexed at myself for not paying her the respect
of seeing her, but I will come out of her debt another time.

25th. All the morning at the office. At noon dined at home, and after
dinner up to my new closett, which pleases me mightily, and there I
proceeded to put many things in order