(and the rest of the officers
at his house), I pretended to dine with my Lady Sandwich and so home,
where I dined well, and began to wipe and clean my books in my chamber
in order to the settling of my papers and things there thoroughly, and
then to the office, where all the afternoon sitting, and in the evening
home to supper, and then to my work again.

30th. Lay very long in bed with my wife, it being very cold, and my wife
very full of a resolution to keepe within doors, not so much as to go
to church or see my Lady Sandwich before Easter next, which I am willing
enough to, though I seem the contrary. This and other talke kept me
a-bed till almost 10 a'clock. Then up and made an end of looking over
all my papers and books and taking everything out of my chamber to have
all made clean. At noon dined, and after dinner forth to several places
to pay away money, to clear myself in all the world, and, among others,
paid my bookseller L6 for books I had from him this day, and the
silversmith L22 18s. for spoons, forks, and sugar box, and being well
pleased with seeing my business done to my mind as to my meeting with
people and having my books ready for me, I home and to my office, and
there did business late, and then home to supper, prayers, and to bed.

31st. At the office all the morning, and after dinner there again,
dispatched first my letters, and then to my accounts, not of the month
but of the whole yeare also, and was at it till past twelve at night,
it being bitter cold; but yet I was well satisfied with my worke, and,
above all, to find myself, by the great blessing of God, worth L1349, by
which, as I have spent very largely, so I have laid up above L500 this
yeare above what I was worth this day twelvemonth. The Lord make me for
ever thankful to his holy name for it! Thence home to eat a little and
so to bed. Soon as ever the clock struck one, I kissed my wife in the
kitchen by the fireside, wishing her a merry new yeare, observing that
I believe I was the first proper wisher of it this year, for I did it as
soon as ever the clock struck one.

So ends the old yeare, I bless God, with great joy to me, not only from
my having made so good a yeare of profit, as having spent L420 and laid
up L540 and upwards; but I bless God I never have been in so good plight
as to my health in so very cold weather as this is, nor indeed in any
hot weather, these ten years, as I am at this day, and have been these
four or fiv