me,
calling by the way at Charing Crosse, and there saw the great Dutchman
that is come over, under whose arm I went with my hat on, and could not
reach higher than his eye-browes with the tip of my fingers, reaching as
high as I could. He is a comely and well-made man, and his wife a very
little, but pretty comely Dutch woman. It is true, he wears pretty
high-heeled shoes, but not very high, and do generally wear a turbant,
which makes him show yet taller than really he is, though he is very
tall, as I have said before. Home to my office, and then to supper, and
then to my office again late, and so home to bed, my wife and I troubled
that we do not speed better in this business of her woman.

16th. Wakened about two o'clock this morning with the noise of thunder,
which lasted for an houre, with such continued lightnings, not flashes,
but flames, that all the sky and ayre was light; and that for a great
while, not a minute's space between new flames all the time; such a
thing as I never did see, nor could have believed had ever been in
nature. And being put into a great sweat with it, could not sleep till
all was over. And that accompanied with such a storm of rain as I never
heard in my life. I expected to find my house in the morning overflowed
with the rain breaking in, and that much hurt must needs have been done
in the city with this lightning; but I find not one drop of rain in my
house, nor any newes of hurt done. But it seems it has been here and
all up and down the countrie hereabouts the like tempest, Sir W. Batten
saying much of the greatness thereof at Epsum. Up and all the morning at
the office. At noon busy at the 'Change about one business or other, and
thence home to dinner, and so to my office all the afternoon very busy,
and so to supper anon, and then to my office again a while, collecting
observations out of Dr. Power's booke of Microscopes, and so home to
bed, very stormy weather to-night for winde. This day we had newes that
my Lady Pen is landed and coming hither, so that I hope the family will
be in better order and more neate than it hath been.

17th. Up, and going to Sir W. Batten to speak to him about business,
he did give me three, bottles of his Epsum water, which I drank and
it wrought well with me, and did give me many good stools, and I found
myself mightily cooled with them and refreshed. Thence I to Mr. Honiwood
and my father's old house, but he was gone out, and there I staid
talking