me, for I see that she is confirmed in it that all that I do is by design,
and that my very keeping of the house in dirt, and the doing of this and
any thing else in the house, is but to find her employment to keep her
within and from minding of her pleasure, in which, though I am sorry to
see she minds it, is true enough in a great degree. To my office, and
there we sat and despatched much business. Home and dined with my wife
well, and then up and made clean my closet of books, and had my chamber a
third time made very clean, so that it is now in a very fine condition.
Thence down to see some good plank in the river with Sir W. Batten and
back again, it being a very cold day and a cold wind. Home again, and
after seeing Sir W. Pen, to my office, and there till late doing of
business, being mightily encouraged by every body that I meet withal upon
the 'Change and every where else, that I am taken notice of for a man that
do the King's business wholly and well. For which the Lord be praised,
for I know no honour I desire more. Home to supper, where I find my house
very clean from top to bottom again to my great content. I found a feacho
(as he calls it) of fine sugar and a case of orange-flower water come from
Mr. Cocke, of Lisbon, the fruits of my last year's service to him, which I
did in great justice to the man, a perfect stranger. He sends it me
desiring that I would not let Sir J. Minnes know it, from whom he expected
to have found the service done that he had from me, from whom he could
expect nothing, and the other failed him, and would have done I am sure to
this day had not I brought it to some end. After supper to bed.

28th. At the office betimes (it being cold all night and this morning,
and a very great frost they say abroad, which is much, having had no
summer at all almost), where we sat, and in the afternoon also about
settling the establishment of the number of men borne on ships, &c., till
the evening, and after that in my closet till late, and quite tired with
business, home to supper and to bed.