at home) at my office doing many businesses for want of time on the week
days. In the afternoon the greatest shower of rain of a sudden and the
greatest and most continued thunder that ever I heard I think in my life.
In the evening home to my wife, and there talked seriously of several of
our family concernments, and among others of bringing Pall out of the
country to us here to try to put her off, which I am very desirous, and my
wife also of. So to supper, prayers, which I have of late too much
omitted. So to bed.

20th. It having been a very cold night last night I had got some cold,
and so in pain by wind, and a sure precursor of pain is sudden letting off
farts, and when that stops, then my passages stop and my pain begins. Up
and did several businesses, and so with my wife by water to White Hall,
she to her father's, I to the Duke, where we did our usual business. And
among other discourse of the Dutch, he was merrily saying how they print
that Prince Rupert, Duke of Albemarle, and my Lord Sandwich, are to be
Generalls; and soon after is to follow them "Vieux Pen;" and so the Duke
called him in mirth Old Pen. They have, it seems, lately wrote to the
King, to assure him that their setting-out ships were only to defend their
fishing-trade, and to stay near home, not to annoy the King's subjects;
and to desire that he would do the like with his ships: which the King
laughs at, but yet is troubled they should think him such a child, to
suffer them to bring home their fish and East India Company's ships, and
then they will not care a fart for us. Thence to Westminster Hall, it
being term time, meeting Mr. Dickering, he tells me how my Lady last week
went to see Mrs. Becke, the mother; and by and by the daughter came in,
but that my Lady do say herself, as he says, that she knew not for what
reason, for she never knew they had a daughter, which I do not believe.
She was troubled, and her heart did rise as soon as she appeared, and
seems the most ugly woman that ever she saw. This if true were strange,