urned. So home, calling at
the stationer's for some paper fit to varnish, and in my way home met
with Lovett, to whom I gave it, and he did present me with a varnished
staffe, very fine and light to walk with. So home and to dinner, there
coming young Mrs. Daniel and her sister Sarah, and dined with us; and
old Mr. Hawly, whose condition pities me, he being forced to turne under
parish-clerke at St. Gyles's, I think at the other end of the towne.
Thence I to the office, where busy all the afternoon, and in the evening
with Sir W. Pen, walking with whom in the garden I am of late mighty
great, and it is wisdom to continue myself so, for he is of all the men
of the office at present most manifestly usefull and best thought of. He
and I supped together upon the seat in the garden, and thence, he gone,
my wife and Mercer come and walked and sang late, and then home to bed.

21st. Up and to the office, where all the morning sitting. At noon
walked in the garden with Commissioner Pett (newly come to towne), who
tells me how infinite the disorders are among the commanders and all
officers of the fleete. No discipline: nothing but swearing and cursing,
and every body doing what they please; and the Generalls, understanding
no better, suffer it, to the reproaching of this Board, or whoever
it will be. He himself hath been challenged twice to the field, or
something as good, by Sir Edward Spragge and Captain Seymour. He tells
me that captains carry, for all the late orders, what men they please;
demand and consume what provisions they please. So that he fears, and
I do no less, that God Almighty cannot bless us while we keep in this
disorder that we are in: he observing to me too, that there is no man
of counsel or advice in the fleete; and the truth is, the gentlemen
captains will undo us, for they are not to be kept in order, their
friends about the King and Duke, and their own house, is so free, that
it is not for any person but the Duke himself to have any command over
them. He gone I to dinner, and then to the office, where busy all the
afternoon. At night walked in the garden with my wife, and so I home to
supper and to bed. Sir W. Pen is gone down to Sheernesse to-day to see
things made ready against the fleete shall come in again, which makes
Pett mad, and calls him dissembling knave, and that himself takes all
the pains and is blamed, while he do nothing but hinder business and
takes all the honour of it to himself, and t