t year. So every thing stands still for money, while
we want money to pay for some of the most necessary things that we
promised ready money for in the height of our wants, as grapnells, &c.
At noon home to dinner, and after dinner my wife and Jane (mighty fine
the girle) to go to see Jane's old mistress, who was to see her, and did
see my wife the other day, and it is pleasant to hear with what kindness
her old mistress speaks of this girle, and how she would still have her,
and how the wench cried when she told her that she must come to her old
mistress my wife. They gone, I to my chamber, and there dallied a little
with my maid Nell.... and so to the office where busy till night, and
then comes Mrs. Turner, and walks with me in the garden to talk with me
about her husband's business, and to tell me how she hears at the other
end of the town how bad our office is spoken of by the King and Prince
and Duke of Albemarle, and that there is not a good word said of any of
us but of me; and me they all do speak mightily of, which, whether true
or no, I am mighty glad to hear, but from all put together that I hear
from other people, I am likely to pass as well as anybody. So, she gone,
comes my wife and to walk in the garden, Sir J. Minnes being still ill
and so keeping us from singing, and by and by Sir W. Pen come and walked
with us and gave us a bottle of Syder, and so we home to supper and to
bed. This day I am told that poor Tooker is dead, a very painfull poor
man as ever I knew.

3rd. Up, and within most of the morning, my tailor's boy coming to alter
something in my new suit I put on yesterday. Then to the office and did
business, and then (my wife being a little ill of those in bed) I to Sir
W. Batten's and dined, and there comes in Sir Richard Ford, tells us how
he hath been at the Sessions-house, and there it is plain that there is
a combination of rogues in the town, that do make it their business
to set houses on fire, and that one house they did set on fire in
Aldersgate Streete last Easter; and that this is proved by two young
men, whom one of them debauched by degrees to steal their fathers' plate
and clothes, and at last to be of their company; and they had their
places to take up what goods were flung into the streets out of the
windows, when the houses were on fire; and this is like to be proved to
a great number of rogues, whereof five are already found, and some found
guilty this day. One of these boys is