pleasure in talking to, and did get her to read aloud in a book she was
reading, in the coach, being the King's Meditations;--[The meditations on
death, and prayers used by Charles I. shortly before his execution]--and
then the boy and I to sing, and so about noon come to Bishop's Stafford,
to another house than what we were at the other day, and better used. And
here I paid for the reckoning 11s., we dining together, and pretty merry;
and then set out again, sleeping most part of the way; and got to
Bishopsgate Street before eight o'clock, the waters being now most of them
down, and we avoiding the bad way in the forest by a privy way, which
brought us to Hodsden; and so to Tibalds, that road, which was mighty
pleasant. So home, where we find all well, and brother Balty and his wife
looking to the house, she mighty fine, in a new gold-laced 'just a cour'.
I shifted myself, and so to see Mrs. Turner, and Mercer appearing over the
way, called her in, and sat and talked, and then home to my house by and
by, and there supped and talked mighty merry, and then broke up and to
bed, being a little vexed at what W. Hewer tells me Sir John Shaw did this
day in my absence say at the Board, complaining of my doing of him injury
and the board permitting it, whereas they had more reason to except
against his attributing that to me alone which I could not do but with
their condent and direction, it being to very good service to the King,
and which I shall be proud to have imputed to me alone. The King I hear
come to town last night.

27th. Up, and to the office, where some time upon Sir D. Gawden's
accounts, and then I by water to Westminster for some Tangier orders, and
so meeting with Mr. Sawyers my old chamber-fellow, he and I by water
together to the Temple, he giving me an account of the base, rude usage,
which he and Sir G. Carteret had lately, before the Commissioners of
Accounts, where he was, as Counsel to Sir G. Carteret, which I was sorry
to hear, they behaving themselves like most insolent and ill-mannered men.