them clear; but to my grief find myself poorer than I was the last by
near L20, by reason of my being forced to return L50 to Downing, the
smith, which he had presented me with. However, I am well contented,
finding myself yet to be worth L5,200. Having done, to supper with my
wife, and then to finish the writing fair of my accounts, and so to bed.
This day come to town Mr. Homewood, and I took him home in the evening
to my chamber, and discoursed with him about my business of the
Victualling, which I have a mind to employ him in, and he is desirous of
also, but do very ingenuously declare he understands it not so well as
other things, and desires to be informed in the nature of it before he
attempts it, which I like well, and so I carried him to Mr. Gibson to
discourse with him about it, and so home again to my accounts. Thus
ends this month, with my mind oppressed by my defect in my duty of the
Victualling, which lies upon me as a burden, till I get myself into
a better posture therein, and hinders me and casts down my courage in
every thing else that belongs to me, and the jealousy I have of Sir W.
Coventry's being displeased with me about it; but I hope in a little
time to remedy all. As to publique business; by late tidings of the
French fleete being come to Rochelle (how true, though, I know not) our
fleete is divided; Prince Rupert being gone with about thirty ships to
the Westward as is conceived to meet the French, to hinder their coming
to join with the Dutch. My Lord Duke of Albemarle lies in the Downes
with the rest, and intends presently to sail to the Gunfleete.

JUNE 1666

June 1st. Being prevented yesterday in meeting by reason of the fast
day, we met to-day all the morning. At noon I and my father, wife and
sister, dined at Aunt Wight's here hard by at Mr. Woolly's, upon sudden
warning, they being to go out of town to-morrow. Here dined the faire
Mrs. Margaret Wight, who is a very fine lady, but the cast of her eye,
got only by an ill habit, do her much wrong and her hands are bad;
but she hath the face of a noble Roman lady. After dinner my uncle
and Woolly and I out into their yarde, to talke about what may be done
hereafter to all our profits by prizegoods, which did give us reason to
lament the losse of the opportunity of the last yeare, which, if we were
as wise as we are now, and at the peaceable end of all those troubles
that we met with, all might have been such a hit as will never come