s (between
whom there hath been ever an old competition for mastery), but at last
the weavers rallied and beat them. At first the butchers knocked down
all for weavers that had green or blue aprons, till they were fain to
pull them off and put them in their breeches. At last the butchers were
fain to pull off their sleeves, that they might not be known, and were
soundly beaten out of the field, and some deeply wounded and bruised;
till at last the weavers went out tryumphing, calling L100 for a
butcher. I to Mr. Reeves to see a microscope, he having been with me
to-day morning, and there chose one which I will have. Thence back and
took up young Mrs. Harman, a pretty bred and pretty humoured woman whom
I could love well, though not handsome, yet for her person and carriage,
and black. By the way met her husband going for her, and set them both
down at home, and so home to my office a while, and so to supper and
bed.

27th. Up, and after some discourse with Mr. Duke, who is to be Secretary
to the Fishery, and is now Secretary to the Committee for Trade, who
I find a very ingenious man, I went to Mr. Povy's, and there heard a
little of his empty discourse, and fain he would have Mr. Gauden been
the victualler for Tangier, which none but a fool would say to me when
he knows he hath made it his request to me to get him something of these
men that now do it. Thence to St. James's, but Mr. Coventry being ill
and in bed I did not stay, but to White Hall a little, walked up and
down, and so home to fit papers against this afternoon, and after dinner
to the 'Change a little, and then to White Hall, where anon the Duke
of Yorke came, and a Committee we had of Tangier, where I read over my
rough draught of the contract for Tangier victualling, and acquainted
them with the death of Mr. Alsopp, which Mr. Lanyon had told me this
morning, which is a sad consideration to see how uncertain a thing
our lives are, and how little to be presumed of in our greatest
undertakings. The words of the contract approved of, and I home and
there came Mr. Lanyon to me and brought my neighbour, Mr. Andrews, to
me, whom he proposes for his partner in the room of Mr. Alsopp, and
I like well enough of it. We read over the contract together, and
discoursed it well over and so parted, and I am glad to see it once over
in this condition again, for Mr. Lanyon and I had some discourse to-day
about my share in it, and I hope if it goes on to have my first hope