but meeting
with nobody to discourse with, returned to Cary House, and there stayed
and saw a pretty deception of the sight by a glass with water poured
into it, with a stick standing up with three balls of wax upon it, one
distant from the other. How these balls did seem double and disappear
one after another, mighty pretty! Here Mr. Carcasse did come to me, and
brought first Mr. Colwall, our Treasurer, and then Dr. Wilkins to engage
me to be his friend, and himself asking forgiveness and desiring my
friendship, saying that the Council have now ordered him to be free to
return to the Office to be employed. I promised him my friendship, and
am glad of this occasion, having desired it; for there is nobody's ill
tongue that I fear like his, being a malicious and cunning bold fellow.
Thence, paying our shot, 6s. apiece, I home, and there to the office
and wrote my letters, and then home, my eyes very sore with yesterday's
work, and so home and tried to make a piece by my eare and viall to "I
wonder what the grave," &c., and so to supper and to bed, where frighted
a good while and my wife again with noises, and my wife did rise twice,
but I think it was Sir John Minnes's people again late cleaning their
house, for it was past I o'clock in the morning before we could fall
to sleep, and so slept. But I perceive well what the care of money and
treasure in a man's house is to a man that fears to lose it. My Lord
Anglesey told me this day that he did believe the House of Commons
would, the next week, yield to the Lords; but, speaking with others
this day, they conclude they will not, but that rather the King will
accommodate it by committing my Lord Clarendon himself. I remember what
Mr. Evelyn said, that he did believe we should soon see ourselves fall
into a Commonwealth again. Joseph Williamson I find mighty kind still,
but close, not daring to say anything almost that touches upon news or
state of affairs.

DECEMBER 1667

December 1st (Lord's day). Up, and after entering my journal for 2 or 3
days, I to church, where Mr. Mills, a dull sermon: and in our pew there
sat a great lady, which I afterwards understood to be my Lady Carlisle,
that made her husband a cuckold in Scotland, a very fine woman indeed
in person. After sermon home, where W. Hewer dined with us, and after
dinner he and I all the afternoon to read over our office letters to see
what matters can be got for our advantage or disadvantage therein.
In the e