if his ground do slip from under him, he will be contented; but he is
resolved to try, and never to baulke taking notice of any thing that is to
the King's prejudice, let it fall where it will; which is a most brave
resolucion. He was very free with me; and by my troth, I do see more
reall worth in him than in most men that I do know. I would not forget
two passages of Sir J. Minnes's at yesterday's dinner. The one, that to
the question how it comes to pass that there are no boars seen in London,
but many sows and pigs; it was answered, that the constable gets them
a-nights. The other, Thos. Killigrew's way of getting to see plays when
he was a boy. He would go to the Red Bull, and when the man cried to the
boys, "Who will go and be a devil, and he shall see the play for nothing?"
then would he go in, and be a devil upon the stage, and so get to see
plays.

31st. Lay pretty long in bed, and then up and among my workmen, the
carpenters being this day laying of my floor of my dining room, with whom
I staid a good while, and so to my office, and did a little business, and
so home to dinner, and after dinner all the afternoon with my carpenters,
making them lay all my boards but one in my dining room this day, which I
am confident they would have made two good days work of if I had not been
there, and it will be very pleasant. At night to my office, and there
late doing of my office business, and so home to supper and bed. Thus
ends this month, I and my family in good health, but weary heartily of
dirt, but now in hopes within two or three weeks to be out of it. My head
troubled with much business, but especially my fear of Sir J. Minnes
claiming my bed-chamber of me, but I hope now that it is almost over, for
I perceive he is fitting his house to go into it the next week. Then my
law businesses for Brampton makes me mad almost, for that I want time to
follow them, but I must by no means neglect them. I thank God I do save
money, though it be but a little, but I hope to find out some job or other