gone thither this morning, to tell him of it.
However, in the afternoon Wood sends us word that he has appointed
another to go, who shall overtake the ship in the Downes. So I was
late at the office, among other things writing to the Downes, to the
Commander-in-Chief, and putting things into the surest course I could to
help the business. So home and to bed.

12th. Up betimes and to my office all the morning with Captain Cocke
ending their account of their Riga contract for hemp. So home to dinner,
my head full of business against the office. After dinner comes my uncle
Thomas with a letter to my father, wherein, as we desire, he and his son
do order their tenants to pay their rents to us, which pleases me well.
In discourse he tells me my uncle Wight thinks much that I do never see
them, and they have reason, but I do apprehend that they have been too
far concerned with my uncle Thomas against us, so that I have had no
mind hitherto, but now I shall go see them. He being gone, I to the
office, where at the choice of maisters and chyrurgeons for the fleet
now going out, I did my business as I could wish, both for the persons
I had a mind to serve, and in getting the warrants signed drawn by my
clerks, which I was afeard of. Sat late, and having done I went home,
where I found Mary Ashwell come to live with us, of whom I hope well,
and pray God she may please us, which, though it cost me something,
yet will give me much content. So to supper and to bed, and find by her
discourse and carriage to-night that she is not proud, but will do
what she is bid, but for want of being abroad knows not how to give the
respect to her mistress, as she will do when she is told it, she having
been used only to little children, and there was a kind of a mistress
over them. Troubled all night with my cold, I being quite hoarse with it
that I could not speak to be heard at all almost.

13th. Up pretty early and to my office all the morning busy. At noon
home to dinner expecting Ashwell's father, who was here in the morning
and promised to come but he did not, but there came in Captain Grove,
and I found him to be a very stout man, at least in his discourse he
would be thought so, and I do think that he is, and one that bears
me great respect and deserves to be encouraged for his care in all
business. Abroad by water with my wife and Ashwell, and left them at
Mr. Pierce's, and I to Whitehall and St. James's Park (there being no
Commission f