t Brooke's fine house at
Wansted; which I so wondered at, and did give him reasons against it,
which he allowed of: and told me that he did intend to pull down the house
and build a less, and that he should get L1500 by the old house, and I
know not what fooleries. But I will never believe he ever intended to buy
it, for my part; though he troubled Mr. Gawden to go and look upon it, and
advise him in it.

2nd. To the office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and
then abroad to my Lord Treasurer's, who continues so ill as not to be
troubled with business. So Mr. Gawden and I to my Lord Ashly's and spoke
with him, and then straight home, and there I did much business at the
office, and then to my own chamber and did the like there, to my great
content, but to the pain of my eyes, and then to supper and to bed, having
a song with my wife with great pleasure, she doing it well.

3rd. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes, [Sir] W. Batten, and [Sir] W. Pen in the
last man's coach to St. James's, and thence up to the Duke of York's
chamber, which, as it is now fretted at the top, and the chimney-piece
made handsome, is one of the noblest and best-proportioned rooms that
ever, I think, I saw in my life, and when ready, into his closet and did
our business, where, among other things, we had a proposition of Mr.
Pierces, for being continued in pay, or something done for him, in reward
of his pains as Chyrurgeon-Generall; forasmuch as Troutbecke, that was
never a doctor before, hath got L200 a year settled on him for nothing but
that one voyage with the Duke of Albemarle. The Duke of York and the
whole company did shew most particular kindness to Mr. Pierce, every body
moving for him, and the Duke himself most, that he is likely to be a very
great man, I believe. Here also we had another mention of Carcasses
business, and we directed to bring in a report of our opinion of his case,
which vexes us that such a rogue shall make us so much trouble. Thence I
presently to the Excise Office, and there met the Cofferer and [Sir]
Stephen Fox by agreement, and agreed upon a method for our future
payments, and then we three to my Lord Treasurer, who continues still very
ill. I had taken my stone with me on purpose, and Sir Philip Warwicke
carried it in to him to see, but was not in a condition to talk with me
about it, poor man. So I with them to Westminster by coach; the Cofferer
telling us odd stories how he was dealt with by t