ng, and considering how I am
hindered by company there to do any thing among my papers, I did resolve
to go away to-day rather than stay to no purpose till to-morrow and so
got all my things packed up and spent half an hour with W. Howe about
his papers of accounts for contingencies and my Lord's accounts, so took
leave of my landlady and daughters, having paid dear for what time I
have spent there, but yet having been quiett and my health, I am very
well contented therewith. So with my wife and Mercer took boat and
away home; but in the evening, before I went, comes Mrs. Knipp, just
to speake with me privately, to excuse her not coming to me yesterday,
complaining how like a devil her husband treats her, but will be with us
in towne a weeke hence, and so I kissed her and parted. Being come home,
my wife and I to look over our house and consider of laying out a little
money to hang our bedchamber better than it is, and so resolved to go
and buy something to-morrow, and so after supper, with great joy in my
heart for my coming once again hither, to bed.

8th. Up, and my wife and I by coach to Bennett's, in Paternoster Row,
few shops there being yet open, and there bought velvett for a coate,
and camelott for a cloake for myself; and thence to a place to look over
some fine counterfeit damasks to hang my wife's closett, and pitched
upon one, and so by coach home again, I calling at the 'Change, and so
home to dinner and all the afternoon look after my papers at home and
my office against to-morrow, and so after supper and considering the
uselessness of laying out so much money upon my wife's closett, but only
the chamber, to bed.

9th. Up, and then to the office, where we met first since the plague,
which God preserve us in! At noon home to dinner, where uncle Thomas
with me, and in comes Pierce lately come from Oxford, and Ferrers. After
dinner Pierce and I up to my chamber, where he tells me how a great
difference hath been between the Duke and Duchesse, he suspecting her to
be naught with Mr. Sidney.

["This Duchess was Chancellor Hyde's daughter, and she was a very
handsome woman, and had a great deal of wit; therefore it was not
without reason that Mr. Sydney, the handsomest youth of his time, of
the Duke's bedchamber, was so much in love with her, as appeared to
us all, and the Duchess not unkind to him, but very innocently. He
was afterwards banished the Court for another reason, as