be rais'd out of the E. India prizes
now taken by Lord Sandwich. They being but two of ye Commission,
and so not impower'd to determine, sent an expresse to his Majesty
and Council to know what they should do."]

And here he showed me his gardens, which are for variety of evergreens,
and hedge of holly, the finest things I ever saw in my life.

[Evelyn purchased Sayes Court, Deptford, in 1653, and laid out his
gardens, walks, groves, enclosures, and plantations, which
afterwards became famous for their beauty. When he took the place
in hand it was nothing but an open field of one hundred acres, with
scarcely a hedge in it.]

Thence in his coach to Greenwich, and there to my office, all the way
having fine discourse of trees and the nature of vegetables. And so to
write letters, I very late to Sir W. Coventry of great concernment, and
so to my last night's lodging, but my wife is gone home to Woolwich. The
Bill, blessed be God! is less this week by 740 of what it was the last
week. Being come to my lodging I got something to eat, having eat little
all the day, and so to bed, having this night renewed my promises of
observing my vowes as I used to do; for I find that, since I left them
off, my mind is run a'wool-gathering and my business neglected.

6th. Up, and having sent for Mr. Gawden he come to me, and he and I
largely discoursed the business of his Victualling, in order to the
adding of partners to him or other ways of altering it, wherein I find
him ready to do anything the King would have him do. So he and I took
his coach and to Lambeth and to the Duke of Albemarle about it, and so
back again, where he left me. In our way discoursing of the business
and contracting a great friendship with him, and I find he is a man most
worthy to be made a friend, being very honest and gratefull, and in the
freedom of our discourse he did tell me his opinion and knowledge of Sir
W. Pen to be, what I know him to be, as false a man as ever was born,
for so, it seems, he hath been to him. He did also tell me, discoursing
how things are governed as to the King's treasure, that, having occasion
for money in the country, he did offer Alderman Maynell to pay him down
money here, to be paid by the Receiver in some county in the country,
upon whom Maynell had assignments, in whose hands the money also lay
ready. But Maynell refused it, saying that he could have his money when
he would, and ha