family governed so
nobly and neatly as do me good to see it. Thence the Cofferer, Sir
Stephen, and I to the Commissioners of the Treasury about business: and so
I up to the Duke of York, who enquired for what I had promised him, about
my observations of the miscarriages of our Office;

[This refers to the letter on the affairs of the office which Pepys
prepared, and respecting which, and the proceedings which grew out
of it, so many references are made in future pages of the Diary.]

and I told him he should have it next week, being glad he called for it;
for I find he is concerned to do something, and to secure himself thereby,
I believe: for the world is labouring to eclipse him, I doubt; I mean, the
factious part of the Parliament. The Office met this afternoon as usual,
and waited on him; where, among other things, he talked a great while of
his intentions of going to Dover soon, to be sworn as Lord Warden, which
is a matter of great ceremony and state, and so to the Temple with Mr.
Wren, to the Attorney's chamber, about business, but he abroad, and so I
home, and there spent the evening talking with my wife and piping, and
pleased with our chimney-piece, and so to bed.

15th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning busy, and after dinner
with my wife, Mercer, and Deb., to the King's playhouse, and there saw
"Love's Mistresse" revived, the thing pretty good, but full of variety of
divertisement. So home and to my business at the office, my eyes bad
again, and so to bed.

16th (Lord's day). All the morning at my Office with W. Hewer, there
drawing up my Report to the Duke of York, as I have promised, about the
faults of this Office, hoping thereby to have opportunity of doing myself
[something]. At noon to dinner, and again with him to work all the
afternoon till night, till I was weary and had despatched a good deal of
business, and so to bed after hearing my wife read a little.

17th. Up, and by water to White Hall, and so to St. James's, and thence
with Mr. Wren by appointment in his coach to Hampstead, to speak with the
Atturney-general, whom we met in the fields, by his old route and house;
and after a little talk about our business of Ackeworth, went and saw the
Lord Wotton's house and garden, which is wonderfull fine: too good for the
house the gardens are, being, indeed, the most noble that ever I saw, and
brave orange and lemon trees. Thence to Mr. Chichley's by invitation, an