e
had done with the Duke of Yorke, I with others to White Hall, there to
attend again a Committee of Tangier, but there was none, which vexed me
to the heart, and makes me mighty doubtfull that when we have one, it
will be prejudiced against poor Yeabsly and to my great disadvantage
thereby, my Lord Peterborough making it his business, I perceive
(whether in spite to me, whom he cannot but smell to be a friend to
it, or to my Lord Ashly, I know not), to obstruct it, and seems to take
delight in disappointing of us; but I shall be revenged of him. Here
I staid a very great while, almost till noon, and then meeting Balty I
took him with me, and to Westminster to the Exchequer about breaking
of two tallys of L2000 each into smaller tallys, which I have been
endeavouring a good while, but to my trouble it will not, I fear, be
done, though there be no reason against it, but only a little trouble to
the clerks; but it is nothing to me of real profit at all. Thence with
Balty to Hales's by coach, it being the seventh day from my making my
late oathes, and by them I am at liberty to dispense with any of my
oathes every seventh day after I had for the six days before going
performed all my vowes. Here I find my father's picture begun, and so
much to my content, that it joys my very heart to thinke that I should
have his picture so well done; who, besides that he is my father, and a
man that loves me, and hath ever done so, is also, at this day, one of
the most carefull and innocent men, in the world. Thence with mighty
content homeward, and in my way at the Stockes did buy a couple of
lobsters, and so home to dinner, where I find my wife and father had
dined, and were going out to Hales's to sit there, so Balty and I alone
to dinner, and in the middle of my grace, praying for a blessing upon
(these his good creatures), my mind fell upon my lobsters: upon which I
cried, Odd zooks! and Balty looked upon me like a man at a losse what
I meant, thinking at first that I meant only that I had said the grace
after meat instead of that before meat. But then I cried, what is become
of my lobsters? Whereupon he run out of doors to overtake the coach, but
could not, so came back again, and mighty merry at dinner to thinke of
my surprize. After dinner to the Excise Office by appointment, and there
find my Lord Bellasses and the Commissioners, and by and by the whole
company come to dispute the business of our running so far behindhand
there,