o, poor man, is much
impatient by these few days' sickness, and I fear indeed it will kill
him.

21st. Up, and to the office, where much business and Sir W. Coventry
there, who of late hath wholly left us, most of our business being about
money, to which we can give no answer, which makes him weary of coming
to us. He made an experiment to-day, by taking up a heape of petitions
that lay upon the table. They proved seventeen in number, and found them
thus: one for money for reparation for clothes, four desired to have
tickets made out to them, and the other twelve were for money. Dined at
home, and sister Balty with us. My wife snappish because I denied her
money to lay out this afternoon; however, good friends again, and by
coach set them down at the New Exchange, and I to the Exchequer, and
there find my business of my tallys in good forwardness. I passed down
into the Hall, and there hear that Mr. Bowles, the grocer, after 4 or 5
days' sickness, is dead, and this day buried. So away, and taking up my
wife, went homewards. I 'light and with Harman to my mercer's in Lumbard
Streete, and there agreed for, our purple serge for my closett, and so
I away home. So home and late at the office, and then home, and there
found Mr. Batelier and his sister Mary, and we sat chatting a great
while, talking of witches and spirits, and he told me of his own
knowledge, being with some others at Bourdeaux, making a bargain with
another man at a taverne for some clarets, they did hire a fellow to
thunder (which he had the art of doing upon a deale board) and to rain
and hail, that is, make the noise of, so as did give them a pretence of
undervaluing their merchants' wines, by saying this thunder would spoil
and turne them. Which was so reasonable to the merchant, that he did
abate two pistolls per ton for the wine in belief of that, whereas,
going out, there was no such thing. This Batelier did see and was the
cause of to his profit, as is above said. By and by broke up and to bed.

22nd. Up and by coach with L100 to the Exchequer to pay fees there.
There left it, and I to St. James's, and there with; the Duke of Yorke.
I had opportunity of much talk with Sir. W. Pen to-day (he being newly
come from the fleete); and he, do much undervalue the honour that is
given to the conduct of the late business of Holmes in burning the ships
and town

[The town burned (see August 15th, ante) was Brandaris, a place of
1000 houses, on the