l, for I had a mind to have her bring it home. I
also went to Mr. Blagrave's about speaking to him for his kinswoman to
come live with my wife, but they are not come to town, and so I home
by coach and to my office, and then to supper and to bed. My present
posture is thus: my wife in the country and my mayde Besse with her and
all quiett there. I am endeavouring to find a woman for her to my mind,
and above all one that understands musique, especially singing. I am the
willinger to keepe one because I am in good hopes to get 2 or L300 per
annum extraordinary by the business of the victualling of Tangier, and
yet Mr. Alsopp, my chief hopes, is dead since my looking after it,
and now Mr. Lanyon, I fear, is, falling sicke too. I am pretty well in
health, only subject to wind upon any cold, and then immediate and great
pains. All our discourse is of a Dutch warr and I find it is likely to
come to it, for they are very high and desire not to compliment us at
all, as far as I hear, but to send a good fleete to Guinny to oppose us
there. My Lord Sandwich newly gone to sea, and I, I think, fallen into
his very good opinion again, at least he did before his going, and by
his letter since, show me all manner of respect and confidence. I am
over-joyed in hopes that upon this month's account I shall find myself
worth L1000, besides the rich present of two silver and gilt flaggons
which Mr. Gauden did give me the other day. I do now live very prettily
at home, being most seriously, quietly, and neatly served by my two
mayds Jane and the girle Su, with both of whom I am mightily well
pleased. My greatest trouble is the settling of Brampton Estate, that I
may know what to expect, and how to be able to leave it when I die, so
as to be just to my promise to my uncle Thomas and his son. The next
thing is this cursed trouble my brother Tom is likely to put us to by
his death, forcing us to law with his creditors, among others Dr. Tom
Pepys, and that with some shame as trouble, and the last how to know in
what manner as to saving or spending my father lives, lest they should
run me in debt as one of my uncle's executors, and I never the wiser
nor better for it. But in all this I hope shortly to be at leisure to
consider and inform myself well.

29th. At the office all the morning dispatching of business, at noon
to the 'Change after dinner, and thence to Tom Trice about Dr. Pepys's
business, and thence it raining turned into Fleet Alley, a