ffice, where doing many businesses very late,
but to my good content to see how I grow in estimation every day
more and more, and have things given more oftener than I used to have
formerly, as to have a case of very pretty knives with agate shafts by
Mrs. Russell. So home and to bed. This day, by the blessing of God, I
have lived thirty-one years in the world; and, by the grace of God, I
find myself not only in good health in every thing, and particularly as
to the stone, but only pain upon taking cold, and also in a fair way of
coming to a better esteem and estate in the world, than ever I expected.
But I pray God give me a heart to fear a fall, and to prepare for it!

24th (Ash-Wednesday). Up and by water, it being a very fine morning, to
White Hall, and there to speak with Sir Ph. Warwicke, but he was gone
out to chappell, so I spent much of the morning walking in the Park, and
going to the Queene's chappell, where I staid and saw their masse, till
a man came and bid me go out or kneel down: so I did go out. And thence
to Somerset House; and there into the chappell, where Monsieur d'Espagne
used to preach. But now it is made very fine, and was ten times more
crouded than the Queene's chappell at St. James's; which I wonder at.
Thence down to the garden of Somerset House, and up and down the new
building, which in every respect will be mighty magnificent and costly.
I staid a great while talking with a man in the garden that was sawing
of a piece of marble, and did give him 6d. to drink. He told me much of
the nature and labour of the worke, how he could not saw above 4 inches
of the stone in a day, and of a greater not above one or two, and after
it is sawed, then it is rubbed with coarse and then with finer and finer
sand till they come to putty, and so polish it as smooth as glass. Their
saws have no teeth, but it is the sand only which the saw rubs up and
down that do the thing. Thence by water to the Coffee-house, and there
sat with Alderman Barker talking of hempe and the trade, and thence to
the 'Change a little, and so home and dined with my wife, and then to
the office till the evening, and then walked a while merrily with my
wife in the garden, and so she gone, I to work again till late, and so
home to supper and to bed.

25th. Up and to the office, where we sat, and thence with Mr. Coventry
by coach to the glasshouse and there dined, and both before and after
did my Lord Peterborough's accounts. Thence hom