spect I bear Mr. Falconbridge, otherwise she had not deserved half
of it, but I am the more willing to do it to be rid of one that made work
and trouble in the house, and had not qualities of any honour or pleasure
to me or my family, but what is a strange thing did always declare to her
mistress and others that she had rather be put to drudgery and to wash the
house than to live as she did like a gentlewoman), and there I and Gibson
all the morning making an end of my report against Carcasse, which I think
will do our business, but it is a horrid shame such a rogue should give me
and all of us this trouble. This morning come Sir H. Cholmly to me for a
tally or two; and tells me that he hears that we are by agreement to give
the King of France Nova Scotia, which he do not like: but I do not know
the importance of it.

[Nova Scotia and the adjoining countries were called by the French
Acadie. Pepys is not the only official personage whose ignorance of
Nova Scotia is on record. A story is current of a prime minister
(Duke of Newcastle) who was surprised at hearing Cape Breton was an
island. "Egad, I'll go tell the King Cape Breton is an island!"
Of the same it is said, that when told Annapolis was in danger, and
ought to be defended: "Oh! certainly Annapolis must be defended,--
where is Annapolis?"--B.]

Then abroad with my wife to my Lord Treasurer's, and she to her tailor's.
I find Sir Philip Warwicke, who I perceive do give over my Lord Treasurer
for a man of this world, his pain being grown great again upon him, and
all the rest he hath is by narcotiques, and now Sir Philip Warwicke do
please himself, like a good man, to tell some of the good ejaculations of
my Lord Treasurer concerning the little worth of this world, to buy it
with so much pain, and other things fit for a dying man. So finding no
business likely to be done here for Tangier, I having a warrant for
tallies to be signed, I away to the New Exchange, and there staid a
little, and then to a looking-glass shop to consult about covering the
wall in my closet over my chimney, which is darkish, with looking-glasses,
and then to my wife's tailor's, but find her not ready to go home, but got
to buy things, and so I away home to look after my business and finish my
report of Carcasse, and then did get Sir W. Batten, Sir J. Minnes, and
[Sir] W. Pen together, and read it over with all the many papers relating
to the busi