agree to draw up a form of a new constitution of the Office, there to
provide remedies for the evils we are now under, so that we may be
beforehand with the world, which I agreed to, saying nothing of my design;
and, the truth is, he is the best man of them all, and I would be glad,
next myself, to save him; for, as he deserves best, so I doubt he needs
his place most. So home to dinner at noon, and all the afternoon busy at
the office till night, and then with my mind full of business now in my
head, I to supper and to bed.

26th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning almost, busy about
business against the afternoon, and we met a little to sign two or three
things at the Board of moment, and thence at noon home to dinner, and so
away to White Hall by water. In my way to the Old Swan, finding a great
many people gathered together in Cannon Street about a man that was
working in the ruins, and the ground did sink under him, and he sunk in,
and was forced to be dug out again, but without hurt. Thence to White
Hall, and it is strange to say with what speed the people employed do pull
down Paul's steeple, and with what ease: it is said that it, and the choir
are to be taken down this year, and another church begun in the room
thereof, the next. At White Hall we met at the Treasury chamber, and
there before the Lords did debate our draft of the victualling contract
with the several bidders for it, which were Sir D. Gawden, Mr. Child and
his fellows, and Mr. Dorrington and his, a poor variety in a business of
this value. There till after candle-lighting, and so home by coach with
Sir D. Gawden, who, by the way, tells me how the City do go on in several
things towards the building of the public places, which I am glad to hear;
and gives hope that in a few years it will be a glorious place; but we met
with several stops and new troubles in the way in the streets, so as makes
it bad to travel in the dark now through the City. So I to Mr. Batelier's
by appointment, where I find my wife, and Deb., and Mercer; Mrs. Pierce