24th. In the morning to the office and Commissioner Pett (who seldom
comes there) told me that he had lately presented a piece of plate (being
a couple of flaggons) to Mr. Coventry, but he did not receive them, which
also put me upon doing the same too; and so after dinner I went and chose
a payre of candlesticks to be made ready for me at Alderman Backwell's. To
the office again in the afternoon till night, and so home, and with the
painters till 10 at night, making an end of my house and the arch before
my door, and so this night I was rid of them and all other work, and my
house was made ready against to-morrow being Christmas day. This day the
Princess Royal died at Whitehall.

25th (Christmas day). In the morning very much pleased to see my house
once more clear of workmen and to be clean, and indeed it is so, far
better than it was that I do not repent of my trouble that I have been at.
In the morning to church, where Mr. Mills made a very good sermon. After
that home to dinner, where my wife and I and my brother Tom (who this
morning came to see my wife's new mantle put on, which do please me very
well), to a good shoulder of mutton and a chicken. After dinner to church
again, my wife and I, where we had a dull sermon of a stranger, which made
me sleep, and so home, and I, before and after supper, to my lute and
Fuller's History, at which I staid all alone in my chamber till 12 at
night, and so to bed.

26th. In the morning to Alderman Backwell's for the candlesticks for Mr.
Coventry, but they being not done I went away, and so by coach to Mr.
Crew's, and there took some money of Mr. Moore's for my Lord, and so to my
Lord's, where I found Sir Thomas Bond (whom I never saw before) with a
message from the Queen about vessells for the carrying over of her goods,
and so with him to Mr. Coventry, and thence to the office (being soundly
washed going through the bridge) to Sir Wm. Batten and Pen (the last of