assistant. I did give him such an answer as I thought was fit and left
him well satisfied, he offering to do me all the service, either by
draughts or modells that I should desire. Thence straight home, being
very cold, but yet well, I thank God, and at home found my wife making
mince pies, and by and by comes in Captain Ferrers to see us, and, among
other talke, tells us of the goodness of the new play of "Henry VIII.,"
which makes me think [it] long till my time is out; but I hope before I go
I shall set myself such a stint as I may not forget myself as I have
hitherto done till I was forced for these months last past wholly to
forbid myself the seeing of one. He gone I to my office and there late
writing and reading, and so home to bed.

25th (Christmas day). Lay long talking pleasantly with my wife, but among
other things she begun, I know not whether by design or chance, to enquire
what she should do if I should by any accident die, to which I did give
her some slight answer; but shall make good use of it to bring myself to
some settlement for her sake, by making a will as soon as I can. Up and
to church, where Mr. Mills made an ordinary sermon, and so home and dined
with great pleasure with my wife, and all the afternoon first looking out
at window and seeing the boys playing at many several sports in our back
yard by Sir W. Pen's, which reminded me of my own former times, and then I
began to read to my wife upon the globes with great pleasure and to good
purpose, for it will be pleasant to her and to me to have her understand
these things. In the evening at the office, where I staid late reading
Rushworth, which is a most excellent collection of the beginning of the
late quarrels in this kingdom, and so home to supper and to bed, with good
content of mind.

26th. Up and walked forth first to the Minerys to Brown's, and there with
great pleasure saw and bespoke several instruments, and so to Cornhill to