things of weight, about which we stayed till past candle-light,
and so Sir W. Batten and W. Pen and I fain to go all in a hackney-coach
round by London Wall, for fear of cellars, this being the first time I
have been forced to go that way this year, though now I shall begin to
use it. We tired one coach upon Holborne-Conduit Hill, and got another,
and made it a long journey home. Where to the office and then home, and
at my business till twelve at night, writing in short hand the draught
of a report to make to the King and Council to-morrow, about the reason
of not having the book of the Treasurer made up. This I did finish
to-night to the spoiling of my eyes, I fear. This done, then to bed.
This evening my wife tells me that W. Batelier hath been here to-day,
and brought with him the pretty girl he speaks of, to come to serve
my wife as a woman, out of the school at Bow. My wife says she is
extraordinary handsome, and inclines to have her, and I am glad of
it--at least, that if we must have one, she should be handsome. But I
shall leave it wholly to my wife, to do what she will therein.

25th. Up as soon as I could see and to the office to write over fair
with Mr. Hater my last night's work, which I did by nine o'clock, and
got it signed, and so with Sir H. Cholmly, who come to me about his
business, to White Hall: and thither come also my Lord Bruncker: and we
by and by called in, and our paper read; and much discourse thereon by
Sir G. Carteret, my Lord Anglesey, Sir W. Coventry, and my Lord Ashly,
and myself: but I could easily discern that they none of them understood
the business; and the King at last ended it with saying lazily, "Why,"
says he, "after all this discourse, I now come to understand it; and
that is, that there can nothing be done in this more than is possible,"
which was so silly as I never heard: "and therefore," says he, "I would
have these gentlemen to do as much as possible to hasten the Treasurer's
accounts; and that is all." And so we broke up: and I confess I went
away ashamed, to see how slightly things are advised upon there. Here
I saw the Duke of Buckingham sit in Council again, where he was
re-admitted, it seems, the last Council-day: and it is wonderful to
see how this man is come again to his places, all of them, after the
reproach and disgrace done him: so that things are done in a most
foolish manner quite through. The Duke of Buckingham did second Sir W.
Coventry in the advising the K