by the way, rode to Woolwich, where we eat and drank at Mr. Peat's, and
discoursed of many businesses, and put in practice my new way of the
Call-book, which will be of great use. Here, having staid a good while,
we got up again and brought night home with us and foul weather. So over
to Whitehall to his chamber, whither my boy came, who had staid in St.
James's Park by my mistake all day, looking for me. Thence took my things
that I put off to-day, and by coach, being very wet and cold, on my feet
home, and presently shifted myself, and so had the barber come; and my
wife and I to read "Ovid's Metamorphoses," which I brought her home from
Paul's Churchyard to-night, having called for it by the way, and so to
bed,

23rd. And slept hard till 8 o'clock this morning, and so up and to the
office, where I found Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten come unexpectedly
home last night from Portsmouth, having done the Pay there before we could
have, thought it. Sat all the morning, and at noon home to dinner with my
wife alone, and after dinner sat by the fire, and then up to make up my
accounts with her, and find that my ordinary housekeeping comes to L7 a
month, which is a great deal. By and by comes Dr. Pierce, who among other
things tells me that my Lady Castlemaine's interest at Court increases,
and is more and greater than the Queen's; that she hath brought in Sir H.
Bennet, and Sir Charles Barkeley; but that the queen is a most good lady,
and takes all with the greatest meekness that may be. He tells me too that
Mr. Edward Montagu is quite broke at Court with his repute and purse; and
that he lately was engaged in a quarrell against my Lord Chesterfield: but
that the King did cause it to be taken up. He tells me, too, that the
King is much concerned in the Chancellor's sickness, and that the
Chancellor is as great, he thinks, as ever he was with the King. He also
tells me what the world says of me, "that Mr. Coventry and I do all the
business of the office almost:" at which I am highly proud. He being gone