23rd. Up betimes and with my workmen, taking some pleasure to see my work
come towards an end, though I am vexed every day enough with their delay.
We met and sat all the morning, dined at home alone, and with my workmen
all the afternoon, and in the evening by water and land to Deptford to
give order for things about my house, and came back again by coach with
Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Batten (who has been at a Pay to-day), and to
my office and did some business, and so to supper and to my lodgings, and
so to bed. In our coming home Sir G. Carteret told me how in most
cabaretts in France they have writ upon the walls in fair letters to be
read, "Dieu te regarde," as a good lesson to be in every man's mind, and
have also, as in Holland, their poor's box; in both which places at the
making all contracts and bargains they give so much, which they call God's
penny.

24th. Up betimes and among my workmen, and among them all the morning
till noon, and then to my Lord Crew's, and there dined alone with him, and
among other things he do advise me by all means to keep my Lord Sandwich
from proceeding too far in the business of Tangier. First, for that he is
confident the King will not be able to find money for the building the
Mole; and next, for that it is to be done as we propose it by the reducing
of the garrison; and then either my Lord must oppose the Duke of York, who
will have the Irish regiment under the command of Fitzgerald continued, or
else my Lord Peterborough, who is concerned to have the English continued,
and he, it seems, is gone back again merely upon my Lord Sandwich's
encouragement. Thence to Mr. Wotton, the shoemaker's, and there bought a
pair of boots, cost me 30s., and he told me how Bird hath lately broke his
leg, while he was fencing in "Aglaura," upon the stage, and that the new
theatre of all will be ready against term. So to my brother's, and there
discoursed with him and Mr. Cooke about their journey to Tom's mistress