.

7th. Up and to my office, where busy, and by and by comes Sir W. Warren
and old Mr. Bond in order to the resolving me some questions about masts
and their proportions, but he could say little to me to my satisfaction,
and so I held him not long but parted. So to my office busy till noon
and then to the 'Change, where high talke of the Dutch's protest against
our Royall Company in Guinny, and their granting letters of marke
against us there, and every body expects a warr, but I hope it will not
yet be so, nor that this is true. Thence to dinner, where my wife got
me a pleasant French fricassee of veal for dinner, and thence to
the office, where vexed to see how Sir W. Batten ordered things this
afternoon (vide my office book, for about this time I have begun, my
notions and informations encreasing now greatly every day, to enter all
occurrences extraordinary in my office in a book by themselves), and so
in the evening after long discourse and eased my mind by discourse with
Sir W. Warren, I to my business late, and so home to supper and to bed.

8th. Up betimes and to the office, and anon, it begunn to be fair after
a great shower this morning, Sir W. Batten and I by water (calling his
son Castle by the way, between whom and I no notice at all of his letter
the other day to me) to Deptford, and after a turn in the yard, I went
with him to the Almes'-house to see the new building which he, with
some ambition, is building of there, during his being Master of Trinity
House; and a good worke it is, but to see how simply he answered
somebody concerning setting up the arms of the corporation upon the
door, that and any thing else he did not deny it, but said he would
leave that to the master that comes after him. There I left him and to
the King's yard again, and there made good inquiry into the business of
the poop lanterns, wherein I found occasion to correct myself mightily
for what I have done in the contract with the platerer, and am resolved,
though I know not how, to make them to alter it, though they signed it
last night, and so I took Stanes

[Among the State Papers is a petition of Thomas Staine to the Navy
Commissioners "for employment as plateworker in one or two
dockyards. Has incurred ill-will by discovering abuses in the great
rates given by the king for several things in the said trade. Begs
the appointment, whereby it will be seen who does the work best and
cheapest, otherw