where nothing to be had; and at last to the corner shop, going down Ivy
Lane, by my Lord of Salisbury's, and there got a good dinner, my wife,
and W. Newer, and I: and after dinner she, with her coach, home; and
he and I to look over my papers for the East India Company, against
the afternoon: which done, I with them to White Hall, and there to the
Treasury-Chamber, where the East India Company and three Councillors
pleaded against me alone, for three or four hours, till seven at night,
before the Lords; and the Lords did give me the conquest on behalf of
the King, but could not come to any conclusion, the Company being stiff:
and so I think we shall go to law with them. This done, and my eyes
mighty bad with this day's work, I to Mr. Wren's, and then up to the
Duke of York, and there with Mr. Wren did propound to him my going to
Chatham to-morrow with Commissioner Middleton, and so this week to make
the pay there, and examine the business of "The Defyance" being lost,
and other businesses, which I did the rather, that I might be out of the
way at the wedding, and be at a little liberty myself for a day, or two,
to find a little pleasure, and give my eyes a little ease. The Duke
of York mightily satisfied with it; and so away home, where my wife
troubled at my being so late abroad, poor woman! though never more busy,
but I satisfied her; and so begun to put things in order for my journey
to-morrow, and so, after supper, to bed.

23rd. Up, and to my office to do a little business there, and so,
my things being all ready, I took coach with Commissioner Middleton,
Captain Tinker, and Mr. Huchinson, a hackney coach, and over the bridge,
and so out towards Chatham, and; dined at Dartford, where we staid an
hour or two, it being a cold day; and so on, and got to Chatham just
at night, with very good discourse by the way, but mostly of matters of
religion, wherein Huchinson his vein lies. After supper, we fell to talk
of spirits and apparitions, whereupon many pretty, particular stories
were told, so as to make me almost afeard to lie alone, but for shame I
could not help it; and so to bed and, being sleepy, fell soon to rest,
and so rested well.

24th. Up, and walked abroad in the garden, and find that Mrs. Tooker has
not any of her daughters here as I expected and so walked to the yard,
leaving Middleton at the pay, and there I only walked up and down the
yard, and then to the Hill-House, and there did give order for the coa