Produced by David Widger
(Unabridged)
JANUARY 1668-1669
January 1st. Up, and presented from Captain Beckford with a noble silverwarming-pan, which I am doubtful whether to take or no. Up, and with W.Hewer to the New Exchange, and then he and I to the cabinet-shops, to lookout, and did agree, for a cabinet to give my wife for a New-year's gift;and I did buy one cost me L11, which is very pretty, of walnutt-tree, andwill come home to-morrow. So back to the old Exchange, and there met myuncle Wight; and there walked, and met with the Houblons, and talked withthem—gentlemen whom I honour mightily: and so to my uncle's, and met mywife; and there, with W. Hewer, we dined with our family, and had a verygood dinner, and pretty merry and after dinner, my wife and I with ourcoach to the King's playhouse, and there in a box saw "The Mayden Queene."Knepp looked upon us, but I durst not shew her any countenance; and, aswell as I could carry myself, I found my wife uneasy there, poor wretch!therefore, I shall avoid that house as much as I can. So back to myaunt's, and there supped and talked, and staid pretty late, it being dryand moonshine, and so walked home, and to bed in very good humour.
2nd. Up, at the office all the morning, and at noon home to dinner, whereI find my cabinet come home, and paid for it, and it pleases me and mywife well. So after dinner busy late at the office, and so home and tobed.
3rd (Lord's day). Up, and busy all the morning, getting rooms and dinnerready for my guests, which were my uncle and aunt Wight, and two of theircousins, and an old woman, and Mr. Mills and his wife; and a good dinner,and all our plate out, and mighty fine and merry, only I a little vexed atburning a new table-cloth myself, with one of my trencher-salts. Dinnerdone, I out with W. Hewer and Mr. Spong, who by accident come to dine withme, and good talk with him: to White Hall by coach, and there left him,and I with my Lord Brouncker to attend the Duke of York, and then up anddown the House till the evening, hearing how the King do intend thisfrosty weather, it being this day the first, and very hard frost, thathath come this year, and very cold it is. So home; and to supper andread; and there my wife and I treating about coming to an allowance to mywife for clothes; and there I, out of my natural backwardness, did hangoff, which vexed her, and did occasion some discontented talk in bed, whenwe went to bed; and also in the morning, but I did recover all in themorning.
4th. Lay long, talking with my wife, and did of my own accord come to anallowance of her of L30 a-year for all expences, clothes and everything,which she was mightily pleased with, it being more than ever she asked orexpected, and so rose, with much content, and up with W. Hewer to WhiteHall, there to speak with Mr. Wren, which I did about several t