J. Minnes and I the only principal officers that
were there. We walked to church with him, and then I left them without
staying the sermon and straight home by water, and there find, as I
expected, Mr. Hill, and Andrews, and one slovenly and ugly fellow,
Seignor Pedro, who sings Italian songs to the theorbo most neatly,
and they spent the whole evening in singing the best piece of musique
counted of all hands in the world, made by Seignor Charissimi, the
famous master in Rome. Fine it was, indeed, and too fine for me to judge
of. They have spoke to Pedro to meet us every weeke, and I fear it
will grow a trouble to me if we once come to bid judges to meet us,
especially idle Masters, which do a little displease me to consider.
They gone comes Mr. Lanyon, who tells me Mr. Alsopp is now become
dangerously ill, and fears his recovery, covery, which shakes my
expectation of L630 per annum by the business; and, therefore, bless God
for what Mr. Gauden hath sent me, which, from some discourse to-day with
Mr. Osborne, swearing that he knows not any thing of this business of
the victualling; but, the contrary, that it is not that moves Mr. Gauden
to send it me, for he hath had order for it any time these two months.
Whether this be true or no, I know not; but I shall hence with the more
confidence keepe it. To supper and to the office a little, and to walk
in the garden, the moon shining bright, and fine warm fair weather, and
so home to bed.

23rd. Up, and all the morning at the office. At noon to the 'Change,
where I took occasion to break the business of my Lord Chancellor's
timber to Mr. Coventry in the best manner I could. He professed to me,
that, till, Sir G. Carteret did speake of it at the table, after our
officers were gone to survey it, he did not know that my Lord Chancellor
had any thing to do with it; but now he says that he had been told by
the Duke that Sir G. Carteret had spoke to him about it, and that he had
told the Duke that, were he in my Lord Chancellor's case, if he were his
father, he would rather fling away the gains of two or L3,000, than have
it said that the timber, which should have been the King's, if it had
continued the Duke of Albemarle's, was concealed by us in favour of my
Lord Chancellor; for, says he, he is a great man, and all such as he,
and he himself particularly, have a great many enemies that would be
glad of such an advantage against him. When I told him it was strange
that Sir J. Min