wife's, and I sit to have it full of shadows, and do almost break my neck
looking over my shoulder to make the posture for him to work by. Thence
home and to the office, and so home having a great cold, and so my wife
and Mrs. Barbary have very great ones, we are at a loss how we all come by
it together, so to bed, drinking butter-ale. This day my W. Hewer comes
from Portsmouth and gives me an instance of another piece of knavery of
Sir W. Pen, who wrote to Commissioner Middleton, that it was my negligence
the other day he was not acquainted, as the board directed, with our
clerks coming down to the pay. But I need no new arguments to teach me
that he is a false rogue to me and all the world besides.

18th (Lord's day). Up and my cold better, so to church, and then home to
dinner, and so walked out to St. James's Church, thinking to have seen
faire Mrs. Butler, but could not, she not being there, nor, I believe,
lives thereabouts now. So walked to Westminster, very fine fair dry
weather, but all cry out for lack of rain. To Herbert's and drank, and
thence to Mrs. Martin's, and did what I would with her; her husband going
for some wine for us. The poor man I do think would take pains if I can
get him a purser's place, which I will endeavour. She tells me as a
secret that Betty Howlet of the Hall, my little sweetheart, that I used to
call my second wife, is married to a younger son of Mr. Michell's (his
elder brother, who should have had her, being dead this plague), at which
I am glad, and that they are to live nearer me in Thames Streete, by the
Old Swan. Thence by coach home and to my chamber about some accounts, and
so to bed. Sir Christopher Mings is come home from Hambro without
anything done, saving bringing home some pipestaves for us.

19th. Up betimes and upon a meeting extraordinary at the office most of
the morning with Lord Bruncker, Sir W. Coventry, and Sir W. Pen, upon the
business of the accounts. Where now we have got almost as much as we