ll me what was doing,
suitable almost to what Captain Cocke tells me, of designs to make
alterations in the Navy; and is most open to me in them, and with utmost
confidence desires my further advice on all occasions: and he resolves
to have my letter transcribed, and sent forthwith to the Office. So,
with as much satisfaction as I could possibly, or did hope for, and
obligation on the Duke of York's side professed to me, I away into the
Park, and there met Mr. Pierce and his wife, and sister and brother,
and a little boy, and with them to Mulberry Garden, and spent I 18s. on
them, and there left them, she being again with child, and by it, the
least pretty that ever I saw her. And so I away, and got a coach, and
home, and there with my wife and W. Hewer, talking all the evening, my
mind running on the business of the Office, to see what more I can do to
the rendering myself acceptable and useful to all and to the King. We to
supper, and to bed.

24th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning upon considerations
on the Victualler's contract, and then home to dinner, where my wife is
upon hanging the long chamber where the girl lies, with the sad
stuff that was in the best chamber, in order to the hanging that with
tapestry. So to dinner, and then to the office again, where all the
afternoon till night, we met to discourse upon the alterations which are
propounded to be made in the draft of the victualler's contract which
we did lately make, and then we being up comes Mr. Child, Papillion and
Littleton, his partners, to discourse upon the matter with me, which
I did, and spent all the evening with them at the office, and so, they
being gone, I to supper and talk with my wife, and so to bed.

25th. Up, and by water to St. James's, and there, with Mr. Wren, did
discourse about my great letter, which the Duke of York hath given him:
and he hath set it to be transcribed by Billings, his man, whom, as he
tells me, he can most confide in for secresy, and is much pleased with
it, and earnest to have it be; and he and I are like to be much together
in the considering how to reform the Office, and that by the Duke of
York's command. Thence I, mightily pleased with this success, away to
the Office, where all the morning, my head full of this business. And
it is pretty how Lord Brouncker this day did tell me how he hears that
a design is on foot to remove us out of the Office: and proposes that
we two do agree to draw up a form