and made the trial last
till seven at night, not eating a bit all the day; only when we had done
examination, and I given my thoughts that the neglect of the Gunner of
the ship was as great as I thought any neglect could be, which might by
the law deserve death, but Commissioner Middleton did declare that he
was against giving the sentence of death, we withdrew, as not being of
the Court, and so left them to do what they pleased; and, while they
were debating it, the Boatswain of the ship did bring us out of the
kettle a piece of hot salt beef, and some brown bread and brandy; and
there we did make a little meal, but so good as I never would desire to
eat better meat while I live, only I would have cleaner dishes. By and
by they had done, and called us down from the quarterdeck; and there
we find they do sentence that the Gunner of "The Defyance" should stand
upon "The Charles" three hours with his fault writ upon his breast, and
with a halter about his neck, and so be made incapable of any office.
The truth is, the man do seem, and is, I believe, a good man; but his
neglect, in trusting a girl to carry fire into his cabin, is not to
be pardoned. This being done, we took boat and home; and there a
good supper was ready for us, which should have been our dinner. The
Captains, desirous to be at London, went away presently for Gravesend,
to get thither by this night's tide; and so we to supper, it having been
a great snowy and mighty cold, foul day; and so after supper to bed.

26th. Up, and with Middleton all the morning at the Docke, looking over
the storehouses and Commissioner Pett's house, in order to Captain Cox's
coming to live there in his stead, as Commissioner. But it is a mighty
pretty house; and pretty to see how every thing is said to be out of
repair for this new man, though L10 would put it into as good condition
in every thing as it ever was in, so free every body is of the King's
money. By and by to Mr. Wilson's, and there drank, but did not see his
wife, nor any woman in the yard, and so to dinner at the Hill-House; and
after dinner, till eight at night, close, Middleton and I, examining
the business of Mr. Pett, about selling a boat, and we find him a very
knave; and some other quarrels of his, wherein, to justify himself, he
hath made complaints of others. This being done, we to supper, and so to
talk, Commissioner Middleton being mighty good company upon a journey,
and so to bed, thinking how merry my