be removed from his own opinion. That my Lord Lauderdale is never from
the King's care nor council, and that he is a most cunning fellow. Upon
the whole, that he finds things go very bad every where; and even in the
Council nobody minds the publique.

3rd. Up pretty early and so to the office, where we sat all the morning
making a very great contract with Sir W. Warren for provisions for the
yeare coming, and so home to dinner, and there was W. Howe come to dine
with me, and before dinner he and I walked in the garden, and we did
discourse together, he assuring me of what he told me the other day of my
Lord's speaking so highly in my commendation to my Lord Peterborough and
Povy, which speaks my Lord having yet a good opinion of me, and also how
well my Lord and Lady both are pleased with their children's being at my
father's, and when the bigger ladies were there a little while ago, at
which I am very glad. After dinner he went away, I having discoursed with
him about his own proceedings in his studies, and I observe him to be very
considerate and to mind his book in order to preferring himself by my
Lord's favour to something, and I hope to the outing of Creed in his
Secretaryship. For he tells me that he is confident my Lord do not love
him nor will trust him in any secret matter, he is so cunning and crafty
in all he do. So my wife and I out of doors thinking to have gone to have
seen a play, but when we came to take coach, they tell us there are none
this week, being the first of Lent. But, Lord! to see how impatient I
found myself within to see a play, I being at liberty once a month to see
one, and I think it is the best method I could have taken. But to my
office, did very much business with several people till night, and so
home, being unwilling to stay late because of my eye which is not yet well
of the rheum that is fallen down into it, but to supper and to bed.

4th. Up, my eye being pretty well, and then by coach to my Lord Sandwich,