and plentiful entertainment, could not get away till nine at night, and so
home. My coach cost me 7s. So to prayers, and to bed. This day though I
was merry enough yet I could not get yesterday's quarrel out of my mind,
and a natural fear of being challenged by Holmes for the words I did give
him, though nothing but what did become me as a principal officer.

23rd. Up betimes and to my office, before noon my wife and I eat
something, thinking to have gone abroad together, but in comes Mr. Hunt,
who we were forced to stay to dinner, and so while that was got ready he
and I abroad about 2 or 3 small businesses of mine, and so back to dinner,
and after dinner he went away, and my wife and I and Ashwell by coach, set
my wife down at her mother's and Ashwell at my Lord's, she going to see
her father and mother, and I to Whitehall, being fearful almost, so poor a
spirit I have, of meeting Major Holmes. By and by the Duke comes, and we
with him about our usual business, and then the Committee for Tangier,
where, after reading my Lord Rutherford's commission and consented to, Sir
R. Ford, Sir W. Rider, and I were chosen to bring in some laws for the
Civill government of it, which I am little able to do, but am glad to be
joyned with them, for I shall learn something of them. Thence to see my
Lord Sandwich, and who should I meet at the door but Major Holmes. He
would have gone away, but I told him I would not spoil his visitt, and
would have gone, but however we fell to discourse and he did as good as
desire excuse for the high words that did pass in his heat the other day,
which I was willing enough to close with, and after telling him my mind we
parted, and I left him to speak with my Lord, and I by coach home, where I
found Will. Howe come home to-day with my wife, and staid with us all
night, staying late up singing songs, and then he and I to bed together in
Ashwell's bed and she with my wife. This the first time that I ever lay in
the room. This day Greatorex brought me a very pretty weather-glass for
heat and cold.