Contractors and
Captain Taylor, and so come away well pleased, and home, taking up my
wife at the 'Change, to dinner. After dinner out again bringing my wife
to her father's again at Charing Cross, and I to the Committee again,
where a new meeting of trouble about Povy, who still makes his business
worse and worse, and broke up with the most open shame again to him,
and high words to him of disgrace that they would not trust him with any
more money till he had given an account of this. So broke up. Then
he took occasion to desire me to step aside, and he and I by water to
London together. In the way, of his owne accord, he proposed to me
that he would surrender his place of Treasurer' to me to have half the
profit. The thing is new to me; but the more I think the more I like it,
and do put him upon getting it done by the Duke. Whether it takes or no
I care not, but I think at present it may have some convenience in it.
Home, and there find my wife come home and gone to bed, of a cold got
yesterday by water. At the office Bellamy come to me again, and I am in
hopes something may be got by his business. So late home to supper and
bed.

18th. Up and to the office, where all the morning. At noon to the
'Change, and took Mr. Hill along with me to Mr. Povy's, where we dined,
and shewed him the house to his good content, and I expect when we meet
we shall laugh at it. But I having business to stay, he went away, and
Povy and Creed and I to do some business upon Povy's accounts all the
afternoon till late at night, where, God help him! never man was so
confounded, and all his people about him in this world as he and his
are. After we had done something [to the] purpose we broke up, and
Povy acquainted me before Creed (having said something of it also this
morning at our office to me) what he had done in speaking to the Duke
and others about his making me Treasurer, and has carried it a great
way, so as I think it cannot well be set back. Creed, I perceive, envies
me in it, but I think as that will do me no hurte, so if it did I am at
a great losse to think whether it were not best for me to let it wholly
alone, for it will much disquiett me and my business of the Navy, which
in this warr will certainly be worth all my time to me. Home, continuing
in this doubtfull condition what to think of it, but God Almighty do
his will in it for the best. To my office, where late, and then home to
supper and to bed.

19th (Lord's day). Mr