time) was come to speak with me, and among other discourse he do tell me
plain of the corruption of all our Treasurer's officers, and that they
hardly pay any money under ten per cent.; and that the other day, for a
mere assignation of L200 to some counties, they took L15 which is very
strange. So to the office till night, and then home and to write by the
post about many businesses, and so to bed. Last night died the Queen of
Bohemia.

14th (Valentine's day). I did this day purposely shun to be seen at Sir
W. Batten's, because I would not have his daughter to be my Valentine, as
she was the last year, there being no great friendship between us now, as
formerly. This morning in comes W. Bowyer, who was my wife's Valentine,
she having, at which I made good sport to myself, held her hands all the
morning, that she might not see the paynters that were at work in gilding
my chimney-piece and pictures in my diningroom. By and by she and I by
coach with him to Westminster, by the way leaving at Tom's and my wife's
father's lodgings each of them some poor Jack, and some she carried to my
father Bowyer's, where she staid while I walked in the Hall, and there
among others met with Serj'. Pierce, and I took him aside to drink a cup
of ale, and he told me the basest thing of Mr. Montagu's and his man
Eschar's going away in debt, that I am troubled and ashamed, but glad to
be informed of. He thinks he has left L1000 for my Lord to pay, and that
he has not laid out L3,000 Out of the L5,000 for my Lord's use, and is not
able to make an account of any of the money. My wife and I to dinner to
the Wardrobe, and then to talk with my Lady, and so by coach, it raining
hard, home, and so to do business and to bed.

15th. With the two Sir Williams to the Trinity-house; and there in their
society had the business debated of Sir Nicholas Crisp's sasse at
Deptford. Then to dinner, and after dinner I was sworn a Younger Brother;