home with her to put her to bed, and we continued dancing and singing;
and, among other things, our Mercer unexpectedly did happen to sing an
Italian song I know not, of which they two sung the other two parts to,
that did almost ravish me, and made me in love with her more than ever
with her singing. As late as it was, yet Rolt and Harris would go home
to-night, and walked it, though I had a bed for them; and it proved dark,
and a misly night, and very windy. The company being all gone to their
homes, I up with Mrs. Pierce to Knipp, who was in bed; and we waked her,
and there I handled her breasts and did 'baiser la', and sing a song,
lying by her on the bed, and then left my wife to see Mrs. Pierce in bed
to her, in our best chamber, and so to bed myself, my mind mightily
satisfied with all this evening's work, and thinking it to be one of the
merriest enjoyment I must look for in the world, and did content myself
therefore with the thoughts of it, and so to bed; only the musique did not
please me, they not being contented with less than 30s.

25th. Lay pretty long, then to the office, where Lord Bruncker and Sir J.
Minnes and I did meet, and sat private all the morning about dividing the
Controller's work according to the late order of Council, between them two
and Sir W. Pen, and it troubled me to see the poor honest man, Sir J.
Minnes, troubled at it, and yet the King's work cannot be done without it.
It was at last friendlily ended, and so up and home to dinner with my
wife. This afternoon I saw the Poll Bill, now printed; wherein I do fear
I shall be very deeply concerned, being to be taxed for all my offices,
and then for my money that I have, and my title, as well as my head. It
is a very great tax; but yet I do think it is so perplexed, it will hardly
ever be collected duly. The late invention of Sir G. Downing's is
continued of bringing all the money into the Exchequer; and Sir G.
Carteret's three pence is turned for all the money of this act into but a
penny per pound, which I am sorry for. After dinner to the office again,