om I am mightily well
pleased. My greatest trouble is the settling of Brampton Estate, that I
may know what to expect, and how to be able to leave it when I die, so
as to be just to my promise to my uncle Thomas and his son. The next
thing is this cursed trouble my brother Tom is likely to put us to by
his death, forcing us to law with his creditors, among others Dr. Tom
Pepys, and that with some shame as trouble, and the last how to know in
what manner as to saving or spending my father lives, lest they should
run me in debt as one of my uncle's executors, and I never the wiser
nor better for it. But in all this I hope shortly to be at leisure to
consider and inform myself well.

29th. At the office all the morning dispatching of business, at noon
to the 'Change after dinner, and thence to Tom Trice about Dr. Pepys's
business, and thence it raining turned into Fleet Alley, and there was
with Cocke an hour or so. The jade, whether I would not give her money
or not enough; she would not offer to invite to do anything, but on the
contrary saying she had no time, which I was glad of, for I had no mind
to meddle with her, but had my end to see what a cunning jade she was,
to see her impudent tricks and ways of getting money and raising the
reckoning by still calling for things, that it come to 6 or 7 shillings
presently. So away home, glad I escaped without any inconvenience,
and there came Mr. Hill, Andrews and Seignor Pedro, and great store of
musique we had, but I begin to be weary of having a master with us, for
it spoils, methinks, the ingenuity of our practice. After they were
gone comes Mr. Bland to me, sat till 11 at night with me, talking of
the garrison of Tangier and serving them with pieces of eight. A mind he
hath to be employed there, but dares not desire any courtesy of me, and
yet would fain engage me to be for him, for I perceive they do all find
that I am the busy man to see the King have right done him by inquiring
out other bidders. Being quite tired with him, I got him gone, and so to
bed.

30th. All the morning at the office; at noon to the 'Change, where great
talke of a rich present brought by an East India ship from some of the
Princes of India, worth to the King L70,000 in two precious stones.
After dinner to the office, and there all the afternoon making an end
of several things against the end of the month, that I may clear all my
reckonings tomorrow; also this afternoon, with great content, I f