scouts, and sent
ships in chase of them.

26th. Up very betimes, my cold continuing and my stomach sick with the
buttered ale that I did drink the last night in bed, which did lie upon
me till I did this morning vomitt it up. So walked to Povy's, where
Creed met me, and there I did receive the first parcel of money as
Treasurer of Tangier, and did give him my receipt for it, which was
about L2,800 value in Tallys; we did also examine and settle several
other things, and then I away to White Hall, talking, with Povy
alone, about my opinion of Creed's indiscretion in looking after Mrs.
Pickering, desiring him to make no more a sport of it, but to correct
him, if he finds that he continues to owne any such thing. This I did
by my Lady's desire, and do intend to pursue the stop of it. So to the
Carrier's by Cripplegate, to see whether my mother be come to towne or
no, I expecting her to-day, but she is not come. So to dinner to my Lady
Sandwich's, and there after dinner above in the diningroom did spend an
houre or two with her talking again about Creed's folly; but strange
it is that he should dare to propose this business himself of Mrs.
Pickering to my Lady, and to tell my Lady that he did it for her virtue
sake, not minding her money, for he could have a wife with more, but,
for that, he did intend to depend upon her Ladyshipp to get as much of
her father and mother for her as she could; and that, what he did, was
by encouragement from discourse of her Ladyshipp's: he also had wrote to
Mrs. Pickering, but she did give him a slighting answer back again. But
I do very much fear that Mrs. Pickering's honour, if the world comes
to take notice of it, may be wronged by it. Thence home, and all the
afternoon till night at my office, then home to supper and to bed.

27th. Up, and to my office, where all the morning, at noon Creed dined
with me; and, after dinner, walked in the garden, he telling me that my
Lord Treasurer now begins to be scrupulous, and will know what becomes
of the L26,000 saved by my Lord Peterborough, before he parts with any
more money, which puts us into new doubts, and me into a great fear,
that all my cake will be doe still.

[An obsolete proverb, signifying to lose one's hopes, a cake coming
out of the oven in a state of dough being considered spoiled.

"My cake is dough; but I'll in among the rest;
Out of hope of all, but my share in the feast."
Shakespea