retreated and went into Fleet Street to a friend of his, and after a
long stay, he telling me the long and most perplexed story of Coronell
and Bushell's business of sugars, wherein Parke and Green and Mr. Bland
and 40 more have been so concerned about the King of Portugal's duties,
wherein every party has laboured to cheat another, a most pleasant and
profitable story to hear, and in the close made me understand Mr. Maes'
business better than I did before. By and by dinner came, and after
dinner and good discourse that and such as I was willing for improvement
sake to hear, I went away too to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier,
where I took occasion to demand of Creed whether he had received my
letter, and he told me yes, and that he would answer it, which makes
me much wonder what he means to do with me, but I will be even with him
before I have done, let him make as light of it as he will. Thence to
the Temple, where my cozen Roger Pepys did show me a letter my Father
wrote to him last Terme to shew me, proposing such things about Sturtlow
and a portion for Pall, and I know not what, that vexes me to see him
plotting how to put me to trouble and charge, and not thinking to pay
our debts and legacys, but I will write him a letter will persuade him
to be wiser. So home, and finding my wife abroad (after her coming home
from being with my aunt Wight to-day to buy Lent provisions) gone with
Will to my brother's, I followed them by coach, but found them not,
for they were newly gone home from thence, which troubled me. I to
Sir Robert Bernard's chamber, and there did surrender my reversion in
Brampton lands to the use of my will, which I was glad to have done, my
will being now good in all parts. Thence homewards, calling a little at
the Coffee-house, where a little merry discourse, and so home, where I
found my wife, who says she went to her father's to be satisfied about
her brother, who I found at my house with her. He is going this next
tide with his wife into Holland to seek his fortune. He had taken his
leave of us this morning. I did give my wife 10s. to give him, and a
coat that I had by me, a close-bodied light-coloured cloth coat, with a
gold edgeing in each seam, that was the lace of my wife's best pettycoat
that she had when I married her. I staid not there, but to my office,
where Stanes the glazier was with me till to at night making up his
contract, and, poor man, I made him almost mad through a mistake of