ree
barrels of oysters and three pullets, and plenty of wine and mirth, was
our dinner, and there was about twelve of us, among others Mr. Bowyer,
the old man, and Mr. Faulconberge, Shadwell, Taylor, Spicer, Woodruffe
(who by reason of some friend that dined with him came to us after
dinner), Servington, &c., and here I made them a foolish promise to give
them one this day twelvemonth, and so for ever while I live, but I do
not intend it. Mere I staid as long as I could keep them, and so home to
Sir W. Pen, who with his children and my wife has been at a play to-day
and saw "D'Ambois," which I never saw. Here we staid late at supper and
playing at cards, and so home and

31st. My wife and I this morning to the Paynter's, and there she sat
the last time, and I stood by and did tell him some little things to do,
that now her picture I think will please me very well; and after her,
her little black dogg sat in her lap; and was drawn, which made us very
merry; so home to dinner, and so to the office; and there late finishing
our estimate of the debts of the Navy to this day; and it come to near
L374,000. So home, and after supper, and my barber had trimmed me, I sat
down to end my journell for this year, and my condition at this time,
by God's blessing, is thus: my health (only upon catching cold, which
brings great pain in my back... as it used to be when I had the stone)
is very good, and so my wife's in all respects: my servants, W. Hewer,
Sarah, Nell, and Wayneman: my house at the Navy Office. I suppose myself
to be worth about L500 clear in the world, and my goods of my house my
own, and what is coming to me from Brampton, when my father dies, which
God defer. But, by my uncle's death, the whole care and trouble of
all, and settling of all lies upon me, which is very great, because of
law-suits, especially that with T. Trice, about the interest of L200,
which will, I hope, be ended soon. My chiefest thought is now to get
a good wife for Tom, there being one offered by the Joyces, a cozen
of theirs, worth L200 in ready money. I am also upon writing a little
treatise to present to the Duke, about our privilege in the seas, as to
other nations striking their flags to us. But my greatest trouble is,
that I have for this last half year been a very great spendthrift in all
manner of respects, that I am afeard to cast up my accounts, though I
hope I am worth what I say above. But I will cast them up very shortly.
I have newly