could take to bring myself to mind my business. I have also made up this
evening my monthly ballance, and find that, notwithstanding the loss of
L30 to be paid to the loyall and necessitous cavaliers by act of
Parliament,

[Two acts were passed in 1662 for this purpose, viz., 13 and 14 Car.
II. cap. 8: "An act for distribution of threescore thousand pounds
amongst the truly loyal and indigent commission officers, and for
assessing of offices and distributing the monies thereby raised for
their further supply;" and cap. 9, "An act for the relief of poor
and maimed officers and soldiers who have faithfully served his
Majesty and his royal father in the late wars."]

yet I am worth about L680, for which the Lord God be praised. My
condition at present is this:--I have long been building, and my house to
my great content is now almost done. But yet not so but that I shall have
dirt, which troubles me too, for my wife has been in the country at
Brampton these two months, and is now come home a week or two before the
house is ready for her. My mind is somewhat troubled about my best
chamber, which I question whether I shall be able to keep or no. I am
also troubled for the journey which I must needs take suddenly to the
Court at Brampton, but most of all for that I am not provided to
understand my business, having not minded it a great while, and at the
best shall be able but to make a bad matter of it, but God, I hope, will
guide all to the best, and I am resolved to-morrow to fall hard to it. I
pray God help me therein, for my father and mother and all our well-doings
do depend upon my care therein. My Lord Sandwich has lately been in the
country, and very civil to my wife, and hath himself spent some pains in
drawing a plot of some alterations in our house there, which I shall
follow as I get money. As for the office, my late industry hath been