a little reading to bed. My wife still troubled
with her cold. I find it everywhere now to be a thing doubted whether
we shall have peace or no, and the captain of one of our ships that went
with the Embassadors do say, that the seamen of Holland to his hearing
did defy us, and called us English dogs, and cried out against peace,
and that the great people there do oppose peace, though he says the
common people do wish it.

21st. Up and to the office, where sat all the morning. At noon dined at
home with my wife and find a new girle, a good big girle come to us, got
by Payne to be our girle; and his daughter Nell we make our cook. This
wench's name is Mary, and seems a good likely maid. After dinner I with
Mr. Commander and Mr. Hide's brother to Lincolne's Inne Fields, and
there viewed several coach-houses, and satisfied ourselves now fully in
it, and then there parted, leaving the rest to future discourse between
us. Thence I home; but, Lord! how it went against my heart to go away
from the very door of the Duke's play-house, and my Lady Castlemayne's
coach, and many great coaches there, to see "The Siege of Rhodes." I was
very near making a forfeit, but I did command myself, and so home to my
office, and there did much business to my good content, much better
than going to a play, and then home to my wife, who is not well with
her cold, and sat and read a piece of Grand Cyrus in English by her,
and then to my chamber and to supper, and so to bed. This morning the
Captain come from Holland did tell us at the board what I have said
he reported yesterday. This evening after I come from the office Mrs.
Turner come to see my wife and me, and sit and talk with us, and so, my
wife not being well and going to bed, Mrs. Turner and I sat up till 12
at night talking alone in my chamber, and most of our discourse was of
our neighbours. As to my Lord Bruncker, she says how Mrs. Griffin,
our housekeeper's wife, hath it from his maid, that comes to her house
often, that they are very poor; that the other day Mrs. Williams was
fain to send a jewell to pawn; that their maid hath said herself that
she hath got L50 since she come thither, and L17 by the payment of one
bill; that they have a most lewd and nasty family here in the office,
but Mrs. Turner do tell me that my Lord hath put the King to infinite
charge since his coming thither in alterations, and particularly that
Mr. Harper at Deptford did himself tell her that my Lord hath ha