a comely and well-made man, and his wife a very little, but pretty comely
Dutch woman. It is true, he wears pretty high-heeled shoes, but not very
high, and do generally wear a turbant, which makes him show yet taller
than really he is, though he is very tall, as I have said before. Home to
my office, and then to supper, and then to my office again late, and so
home to bed, my wife and I troubled that we do not speed better in this
business of her woman.

16th. Wakened about two o'clock this morning with the noise of thunder,
which lasted for an houre, with such continued lightnings, not flashes,
but flames, that all the sky and ayre was light; and that for a great
while, not a minute's space between new flames all the time; such a thing
as I never did see, nor could have believed had ever been in nature. And
being put into a great sweat with it, could not sleep till all was over.
And that accompanied with such a storm of rain as I never heard in my
life. I expected to find my house in the morning overflowed with the rain
breaking in, and that much hurt must needs have been done in the city with
this lightning; but I find not one drop of rain in my house, nor any newes
of hurt done. But it seems it has been here and all up and down the
countrie hereabouts the like tempest, Sir W. Batten saying much of the
greatness thereof at Epsum. Up and all the morning at the office. At noon
busy at the 'Change about one business or other, and thence home to
dinner, and so to my office all the afternoon very busy, and so to supper
anon, and then to my office again a while, collecting observations out of
Dr. Power's booke of Microscopes, and so home to bed, very stormy weather
to-night for winde. This day we had newes that my Lady Pen is landed and
coming hither, so that I hope the family will be in better order and more
neate than it hath been.

17th. Up, and going to Sir W. Batten to speak to him about business, he