Smith is to command them, who is
allowed to have the better of Holmes in the late dispute, and is in good
esteem in the Parliament, above the other. Thence home, and there, in
favour to my eyes, stayed at home, reading the ridiculous History of
my Lord Newcastle, wrote by his wife, which shews her to be a mad,
conceited, ridiculous woman, and he an asse to suffer her to write what
she writes to him, and of him.

["The Life of the thrice noble, high, and puissant Prince, William
Cavendish, Duke... of Newcastle," by his duchess, of which the
first edition, in folio, was published in 1667.]

Betty Turner sent my wife the book to read, and it being a fair print,
to ease my eyes, which would be reading, I read that. Anon comes Mrs.
Turner and sat and talked with us, and most about the business of
Ackworth,

[William Acworth, storekeeper at Woolwich, was accused of converting
stores to his own use (see "Calendar of State Papers," 1667-68, p.
279).]

which comes before us to-morrow, that I would favour it, but I do not
think, notwithstanding all the friendship I can shew him, that he can
escape, and therefore it had been better that he had followed the advice
I sent him the other day by Mrs. Turner, to make up the business. So
parted, and I to bed, my eyes being very bad; and I know not how in the
world to abstain from reading.

19th. Up, and betimes to the Old Swan, and by water to White Hall, and
thence to W. Coventry's, where stayed but a little to talk with him,
and thence by water back again, it being a mighty fine, clear spring
morning. Back to the Old Swan, and drank at Michell's, whose house goes
up apace, but I could not see Betty, and thence walked all along
Thames Street, which I have not done since it was burned, as far as
Billingsgate; and there do see a brave street likely to be, many brave
houses being built, and of them a great many by Mr. Jaggard; but the
raising of the street will make it mighty fine. So to the office, where
busy all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and thence to the office,
very busy till five o'clock, and then to ease my eyes I took my wife out
and Deb. to the 'Change, and there bought them some things, and so home
again and to the office, ended my letters, and so home to read a little
more in last night's book, with much sport, it being a foolish book, and
so to supper and to bed. This afternoon I was surprized with a letter
without a name to it, ve