our several answers to his great letter; but Lord Brouncker not being
there, and doubtful to deliver it before the new Treasurers, I forbore it
to next sitting. So home at noon to dinner, where I find Mr. Pierce and
his wife but I was forced to shew very little pleasure in her being there
because of my vow to my wife; and therefore was glad of a very bad
occasion for my being really troubled, which is, at W. Hewer's losing of a
tally of L1000, which I sent him this day to receive of the Commissioners
of Excise. So that though I hope at the worst I shall be able to get
another, yet I made use of this to get away as soon as I had dined, and
therefore out with him to the Excise Office to make a stop of its payment,
and so away to the coachmaker's and several other places, and so away
home, and there to my business at the office, and thence home, and there
my wife to read to me, and W. Hewer to set some matters of accounts right
at my chamber, to bed.

27th. Up, and with W. Hewer to see W. Coventry again, but missed him
again, by coming too late, the man of [all] the world that I am resolved
to preserve an interest in. Thence to White Hall, and there at our usual
waiting on the Duke of York; and that being done, I away to the Exchequer,
to give a stop, and take some advice about my lost tally, wherein I shall
have some remedy, with trouble, and so home, and there find Mr. Povy, by
appointment, to dine with me; where a pretty good dinner, but for want of
thought in my wife it was but slovenly dressed up; however, much pleasant
discourse with him, and some serious; and he tells me that he would, by
all means, have me get to be a Parliament-man the next Parliament, which
he believes there will be one, which I do resolve of. By and by comes my
cozen Roger, and dines with us; and, after dinner, did seal his mortgage,
wherein I do wholly rely on his honesty, not having so much as read over
what he hath given me for it, nor minded it, but do trust to his integrity
therein. They all gone, I to the office and there a while, and then home