, which are finely bound and good books to my great
content. So home and to my office, where late. This evening I being
informed did look and saw the Comet, which is now, whether worn away
or no I know not, but appears not with a tail, but only is larger and
duller than any other star, and is come to rise betimes, and to make a
great arch, and is gone quite to a new place in the heavens than it was
before: but I hope in a clearer night something more will be seen. So
home to bed.

25th (Lord's day and Christmas day). Up (my wife's eye being ill still
of the blow I did in a passion give her on Monday last) to church alone,
where Mr. Mills, a good sermon. To dinner at home, where very pleasant
with my wife and family. After dinner I to Sir W. Batten's, and there
received so much good usage (as I have of late done) from him and my
Lady, obliging me and my wife, according to promise, to come and dine
with them to-morrow with our neighbours, that I was in pain all the day,
and night too after, to know how to order the business of my wife's not
going, and by discourse receive fresh instances of Sir J. Minnes's
folly in complaining to Sir G. Carteret of Sir W. Batten and me for some
family offences, such as my having of a stopcock to keepe the water from
them, which vexes me, but it would more but that Sir G. Carteret knows
him very well. Thence to the French church, but coming too late I
returned and to Mr. Rawlinson's church, where I heard a good sermon of
one that I remember was at Paul's with me, his name Maggett; and very
great store of fine women there is in this church, more than I know
anywhere else about us. So home and to my chamber, looking over and
setting in order my papers and books, and so to supper, and then to
prayers and to bed.

26th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen to White Hall, and there with the rest did
our usual business before the Duke, and then with Sir W. Batten back
and to his house, where I by sicknesse excused my wife's coming to them
to-day. Thence I to the Coffeehouse, where much good discourse, and all
the opinion now is that the Dutch will avoid fighting with us at home,
but do all the hurte they can to us abroad; which it may be they may for
a while, but that, I think, cannot support them long. Thence to Sir W.
Batten's, where Mr. Coventry and all our families here, women and all,
and Sir R. Ford and his, and a great feast and good discourse and merry,
there all the afternoon and evening till late,