and had mince-pies, and very merry at a mischance her young son had in
tearing of his new coate quite down the outside of his sleeve in the whole
cloth, one of the strangest mishaps that ever I saw in my life. Then to
church, and placed myself in the Parson's pew under the pulpit, to hear
Mrs. Chamberlain in the next pew sing, who is daughter to Sir James Bunch,
of whom I have heard much, and indeed she sings very finely, and from
church met with Sir W. Warren and he and I walked together talking about
his and my businesses, getting of money as fairly as we can, and, having
set him part of his way home, I walked to my Lord Bruncker, whom I heard
was at Alderman Hooker's, hoping to see and salute Mrs. Lethulier, whom I
did see in passing, but no opportunity of beginning acquaintance, but a
very noble lady she is, however the silly alderman got her. Here we sat
talking a great while, Sir The. Biddulph and Mr. Vaughan, a son-in-law of
Alderman Hooker's. Hence with my Lord Bruncker home and sat a little with
him and so home to bed.

25th (Christmas-day). To church in the morning, and there saw a wedding
in the church, which I have not seen many a day; and the young people so
merry one with another, and strange to see what delight we married people
have to see these poor fools decoyed into our condition, every man and
woman gazing and smiling at them. Here I saw again my beauty Lethulier.
Thence to my Lord Bruncker's by invitation and dined there, and so home to
look over and settle my papers, both of my accounts private, and those of
Tangier, which I have let go so long that it were impossible for any soul,
had I died, to understand them, or ever come to any good end in them. I
hope God will never suffer me to come to that disorder again.

26th. Up, and to the office, where Sir J. Minnes and my Lord Bruncker and
I met, to give our directions to the Commanders of all the ships in the
river to bring in lists of their ships' companies, with entries,