King's timber in the forests, and then to my Lord of Oxford, Justice in
Eyre, for his consent thereto, for want whereof my Lord Privy Seale stops
the whole business. I found him in his lodgings, in but an ordinary
furnished house and roome where he was, but I find him to be a man of good
discreet replys. Thence to the Coffee-house, where certain newes that the
Dutch have taken some of our colliers to the North; some say four, some
say seven. Thence to the 'Change a while, and so home to dinner and to
the office, where we sat late, and then I to write my letters, and then to
Sir W. Batten's, who is going out of towne to Harwich to-morrow to set up
a light-house there, which he hath lately got a patent from the King to
set up, that will turne much to his profit. Here very merry, and so to my
office again, where very late, and then home to supper and to bed, but sat
up with my wife at cards till past two in the morning.

4th. Lay long, and then up and to my Lord of Oxford's, but his Lordshipp
was in bed at past ten o'clock: and, Lord helpe us! so rude a dirty family
I never saw in my life. He sent me out word my business was not done, but
should against the afternoon. I thence to the Coffee-house, there but
little company, and so home to the 'Change, where I hear of some more of
our ships lost to the Northward. So to Sir W. Batten's, but he was set
out before I got thither. I sat long talking with my lady, and then home
to dinner. Then come Mr. Moore to see me, and he and I to my Lord of
Oxford's, but not finding him within Mr. Moore and I to "Love in a Tubb,"
which is very merry, but only so by gesture, not wit at all, which
methinks is beneath the House. So walked home, it being a very hard
frost, and I find myself as heretofore in cold weather to begin to burn
within and pimples and pricks all over my body, my pores with cold being
shut up. So home to supper and to cards and to bed.

5th. Up, it being very cold and a great snow and frost tonight. To the