e me like one of Mrs. Knepp's songs, to a good English tune, the
manner of their ayre not pleasing me so well as the fashion of our own,
nor so natural. Here I sat a little and then left them, and then by
coach home, and my wife not come home, so the office a little and then
home, and my wife come; and so, saying nothing where I had been, we to
supper and pipe, and so to bed.

13th. Up, and to the office, where we sat busy all the morning. At noon
home to dinner all alone, my wife being again at the whitster's. After
dinner with Sir W. Pen to St. James's, where the rest come and attended
the Duke of York, with our usual business; who, upon occasion, told us
that he did expect this night or to-morrow to hear from Breda of the
consummation of the peace. Thence Sir W. Pen and I to the King's house,
and there saw "The Committee," which I went to with some prejudice, not
liking it before, but I do now find it a very good play, and a great
deal of good invention in it; but Lacy's part is so well performed that
it would set off anything. The play being done, we with great pleasure
home, and there I to the office to finish my letters, and then home to
my chamber to sing and pipe till my wife comes home from her washing,
which was nine at night, and a dark and rainy night, that I was troubled
at her staying out so long. But she come well home, and so to supper and
to bed.

14th. Up, and to the office, where we held a meeting extraordinary upon
some particular business, and there sat all the morning. At noon, my
wife being gone to the whitster's again to her clothes, I to dinner to
Sir W. Batten's, where much of our discourse concerning Carcasse, who it
seems do find success before the Council, and do everywhere threaten us
with what he will prove against us, which do vex us to see that we must
be subjected to such a rogue of our own servants as this is. By and
by to talk of our prize at Hull, and Sir W. Batten offering, again and
again, seriously how he would sell his part for L1000 and I considering
the knavery of Hogg and his company, and the trouble we may have with
the Prince Rupert about the consort ship, and how we are linked with Sir
R. Ford, whose son-in-law too is got thither, and there we intrust him
with all our concern, who I doubt not is of the same trade with his
father-in-law for a knave, and then the danger of the sea, if it shall
be brought about, or bad debts contracted in the sale, but chiefly to be
eased of