ffice, where we sat and examined his businesses and state
of the victualling of the fleete, which made me in my heart blushe that
I could say no more to it than I did or could. But I trust in God I
shall never be in that condition again. We parted, and I with pretty
good grace, and so home to dinner, where my wife troubled more and more
with her swollen cheek. So to dinner, my sister-in-law with us, who I
find more and more a witty woman; and then I to my Lord Treasurer's and
the Exchequer about my Tangier businesses, and with my content passed by
all things and persons without so much as desiring any stay or loss
of time with them, being by strong vowe obliged on no occasion to stay
abroad but my publique offices. So home again, where I find Mrs. Pierce
and Mrs. Ferrers come to see my wife. I staid a little with them, being
full of business, and so to the office, where busy till late at night
and so weary and a little conscious of my failures to-day, yet proud
that the day is over without more observation on Sir W. Coventry's part,
and so to bed and to sleepe soundly.

8th. Up, and to the office all the morning. At noon dined at home, my
wife's cheek bad still. After dinner to the office again and thither
comes Mr. Downing, the anchor-smith, who had given me 50 pieces in gold
the last month to speake for him to Sir W. Coventry, for his being smith
at Deptford; but after I had got it granted to him, he finds himself not
fit to go on with it, so lets it fall. So has no benefit of my motion. I
therefore in honour and conscience took him home the money, and, though
much to my grief, did yet willingly and forcibly force him to take it
again, the poor man having no mind to have it. However, I made him take
it, and away he went, and I glad to have given him so much cause to
speake well of me. So to my office again late, and then home to supper
to a good lobster with my wife, and then a little to my office again,
and so to bed.

9th. Up by five o'clock, which I have not a long time done, and down the
river by water to Deptford, among other things to examine the state of
Ironworke, in order to the doing something with reference to Downing
that may induce him to returne me the 50 pieces. Walked back again
reading of my Civill Law Book, and so home and by coach to White Hall,
where we did our usual business before the Duke, and heard the Duke
commend Deane's ship "The Rupert" before "The Defyance," built lately by
Castle, in hea