and so home after supper and to bed, and much troubled in my sleep of my
being crying by my mother's bedside, laying my head over hers and crying,
she almost dead and dying, and so waked, but what is strange, methought
she had hair over her face, and not the same kind of face as my mother
really hath, but yet did not consider that, but did weep over her as my
mother, whose soul God have mercy of.

26th. Up with a sad heart in reference to my mother, of whose death I
undoubtedly expect to hear the next post, if not of my father's also, who
by his pain as well as his grief for her is very ill, but on my own behalf
I have cause to be joyful this day, it being my usual feast day, for my
being cut of the stone this day nine years, and through God's blessing am
at this day and have long been in as good condition of health as ever I
was in my life or any man in England is, God make me thankful for it! But
the condition I am in, in reference to my mother, makes it unfit for me to
keep my usual feast. Unless it shall please God to send her well (which I
despair wholly of), and then I will make amends for it by observing
another day in its room. So to the office, and at the office all the
morning, where I had an opportunity to speak to Sir John Harman about my
desire to have my brother Balty go again with him to sea as he did the
last year, which he do seem not only contented but pleased with, which I
was glad of. So at noon home to dinner, where I find Creed, who dined
with us, but I had not any time to talk with him, my head being busy, and
before I had dined was called away by Sir W. Batten, and both of us in his
coach (which I observe his coachman do always go now from hence towards
White Hall through Tower Street, and it is the best way) to Exeter House,
where the judge was sitting, and after several little causes comes on
ours, and while the several depositions and papers were at large reading
(which they call the preparatory), and being cold by being forced to sit
with my hat off close to a window in the Hall, Sir W. Pen and I to the