hey came not. So
my wife abroad to see them, and took Mary Joyce to a play. Then in
the evening came and sat working by me at the office, and late home
to supper and to bed, with my heart in good rest for this day's work,
though troubled to think that my last month's negligence besides the
making me neglect business and spend money, and lessen myself both as
to business and the world and myself, I am fain to preserve my vowe by
paying 20s. dry--[ Dry = hard, as "hard cash." ]--money into the poor's
box, because I had not fulfilled all my memorandums and paid all my
petty debts and received all my petty credits, of the last month, but I
trust in God I shall do so no more.

OCTOBER 1664

October 1st. Up and at the office both forenoon and afternoon very busy,
and with great pleasure in being so. This morning Mrs. Lane (now Martin)
like a foolish woman, came to the Horseshoe hard by, and sent for me
while I was: at the office; to come to speak with her by a note sealed
up, I know to get me to do something for her husband, but I sent her an
answer that I would see her at Westminster, and so I did not go, and she
went away, poor soul. At night home to supper, weary, and my eyes sore
with writing and reading, and to bed. We go now on with great vigour
in preparing against the Dutch, who, they say, will now fall upon us
without doubt upon this high newes come of our beating them so, wholly
in Guinny.

2nd (Lord's day). My wife not being well to go to church I walked with
my boy through the City, putting in at several churches, among others
at Bishopsgate, and there saw the picture usually put before the King's
book, put up in the church, but very ill painted, though it were a
pretty piece to set up in a church. I intended to have seen the Quakers,
who, they say, do meet every Lord's day at the Mouth at Bishopsgate; but
I could see none stirring, nor was it fit to aske for the place, so I
walked over Moorefields, and thence to Clerkenwell church, and there, as
I wished, sat next pew to the fair Butler, who indeed is a most perfect
beauty still; and one I do very much admire myself for my choice of her
for a beauty, she having the best lower part of her face that ever I
saw all days of my life. After church I walked to my Lady Sandwich's,
through my Lord Southampton's new buildings in the fields behind Gray's
Inn; and, indeed, they are a very great and a noble work. So I dined
with my Lady, and the same innocent discour