he afternoon upon a
song of Solyman's words to Roxalana that I have set, and so with my wife
walked and Mercer to Mrs. Pierce's, where Captain Rolt and Mrs. Knipp,
Mr. Coleman and his wife, and Laneare, Mrs. Worshipp and her singing
daughter, met; and by and by unexpectedly comes Mr. Pierce from Oxford.
Here the best company for musique I ever was in, in my life, and wish I
could live and die in it, both for musique and the face of Mrs. Pierce,
and my wife and Knipp, who is pretty enough; but the most excellent,
mad-humoured thing, and sings the noblest that ever I heard in my life,
and Rolt, with her, some things together most excellently. I spent the
night in extasy almost; and, having invited them to my house a day or
two hence, we broke up, Pierce having told me that he is told how the
King hath done my Lord Sandwich all the right imaginable, by shewing
him his countenance before all the world on every occasion, to remove
thoughts of discontent; and that he is to go Embassador, and that the
Duke of Yorke is made generall of all forces by land and sea, and
the Duke of Albemarle, lieutenant-generall. Whether the two latter
alterations be so, true or no, he knows not, but he is told so; but my
Lord is in full favour with the King. So all home and to bed.

7th. Up and to the office, where very busy all day. Sir G. Carteret's
letter tells me my Lord Sandwich is, as I was told, declared Embassador
Extraordinary to Spayne, and to go with all speed away, and that his
enemies have done him as much good as he could wish. At noon late to
dinner, and after dinner spent till night with Mr. Gibson and Hater
discoursing and making myself more fully [know] the trade of pursers,
and what fittest to be done in their business, and so to the office till
midnight writing letters, and so home, and after supper with my wife
about one o'clock to bed.

8th. Up, well pleased in my mind about my Lord Sandwich, about whom I
shall know more anon from Sir G. Carteret, who will be in towne, and
also that the Hambrough [ships] after all difficulties are got out. God
send them good speed! So, after being trimmed, I by water to London, to
the Navy office, there to give order to my mayde to buy things to send
down to Greenwich for supper to-night; and I also to buy other things,
as oysters, and lemons, 6d. per piece, and oranges, 3d. That done I to
the 'Change, and among many other things, especially for getting of
my Tangier money, I by appointment