fortnight. So having sent for my wife, she and I to my Lady Sandwich, and
after a short visit away home. She home, and I to Sir G. Carteret's about
business, and so home too, and Sarah having her fit we went to bed.

24th. Early Sir G. Carteret, both Sir Williams and I on board the
Experiment, to dispatch her away, she being to carry things to the
Madeiras with the East Indy fleet. Here (Sir W. Pen going to Deptford to
send more hands) we staid till noon talking, and eating and drinking a
good ham of English bacon, and having put things in very good order home,
where I found Jane, my old maid, come out of the country, and I have a
mind to have her again. By and by comes La Belle Pierce to see my wife,
and to bring her a pair of peruques of hair, as the fashion now is for
ladies to wear; which are pretty, and are of my wife's own hair, or else I
should not endure them. After a good whiles stay, I went to see if any
play was acted, and I found none upon the post, it being Passion week. So
home again, and took water with them towards Westminster; but as we put
off with the boat Griffin came after me to tell me that Sir G. Carteret
and the rest were at the office, so I intended to see them through the
bridge and come back again, but the tide being against us, when we were
almost through we were carried back again with much danger, and Mrs.
Pierce was much afeard and frightened. So I carried them to the other
side and walked to the Beare, and sent them away, and so back again myself
to the office, but finding nobody there I went again to the Old Swan, and
thence by water to the New Exchange, and there found them, and thence by
coach carried my wife to Bowes to buy something, and while they were there
went to Westminster Hall, and there bought Mr. Grant's book of
observations upon the weekly bills of mortality, which appear to me upon
first sight to be very pretty. So back again and took my wife, calling at
my brother Tom's, whom I found full of work, which I am glad of, and
thence at the New Exchange and so home, and I to Sir W. Batten's, and