he men of the Church at
Westminster in taking a lease of them at the King's coming in, and
particularly the devilish covetousness of Dr. Busby. Sir Stephen Fox, in
discourse, told him how he is selling some land he hath, which yields him
not above three per cent., if so much, and turning it into money, which he
can put out at ten per cent.; and, as times go, if they be like to
continue, it is the best way for me to keep money going so, for aught I
see. I to Westminster Hall, and there took a turn with my old
acquaintance Mr. Pechell, whose red nose makes me ashamed to be seen with
him, though otherwise a good-natured man. So away, I not finding of Mr.
Moore, with whom I should have met and spoke about a letter I this day
received from him from my Lord Hinchingbroke, wherein he desires me to
help him to L1900 to pay a bill of exchange of his father's, which
troubles me much, but I will find some way, if I can do it, but not to
bring myself in bonds or disbursements for it, whatever comes of it. So
home to dinner, where my wife hath 'ceux la' upon her and is very ill with
them, and so forced to go to bed, and I sat by her a good while, then down
to my chamber and made an end of Rycaut's History of the Turks, which is a
very good book. Then to the office, and did some business, and then my
wife being pretty well, by coach to little Michell's, and there saw my
poor Betty and her little child, which slept so soundly we could hardly
wake it in an hour's time without hurting it, and they tell me what I did
not know, that a child (as this do) will hunt and hunt up and down with
its mouth if you touch the cheek of it with your finger's end for a
nipple, and fit its mouth for sucking, but this hath not sucked yet, she
having no nipples. Here sat a while, and then my wife and I, it being a
most curious clear evening, after some rain to-day, took a most excellent
tour by coach to Bow, and there drank and back again, and so a little at
the office, and home to read a little, and to supper and bed mightily
refreshed with this evening's tour, but troubled that it hath hindered my
doing some business which I would have done at the office. This day the
newes is come that the fleete of the Dutch, of about 20 ships, which come
upon our coasts upon design to have intercepted our colliers, but by good
luck failed, is gone to the Frith,--[Frith of Forth. See 5th of this
month.]--and there lies, perhaps to trouble the Scotch privateers, wh