informed how matters
go there as to cost and ways of providing sawyers or saw-mills. We were
parted without coming to any good resolution in it, I discerning plainly
that Sir W. Warren had no mind to it, but that he was surprised at our
motion. He gone, I to some office business, and then home to dinner, and
then to office again, and then got done by night the lists that are to
be presented to the Parliament Committee of the ships, number of men,
and time employed since the war, and then I with it (leaving my wife at
Unthanke's) to St. James's, where Sir W. Coventry staid for me, and I
perused our lists, and find to our great joy that wages, victuals, wear
and tear, cast by the medium of the men, will come to above 3,000,000;
and that the extraordinaries, which all the world will allow us, will
arise to more than will justify the expence we have declared to have
been at since the war, viz., L320,000, he and I being both mightily
satisfied, he saying to me, that if God send us over this rub we must
take another course for a better Comptroller. So parted, and I to my
wife [at Unthanke's], who staid for the finishing her new best gowne
(the best that ever I made her coloured tabby, flowered, and so took it
and her home; and then I to my people, and having cut them out a little
more work than they expected, viz., the writing over the lists in new
method, I home to bed, being in good humour, and glad of the end we have
brought this matter to.

30th (Lord's day). Up, and to church, where I have not been a good
while: and there the church infinitely thronged with strangers since the
fire come into our parish; but not one handsome face in all of them, as
if, indeed, there was a curse, as Bishop Fuller heretofore said, upon
our parish. Here I saw Mercer come into the church, which I had a mind
to, but she avoided looking up, which vexed me. A pretty good sermon,
and then home, and comes Balty and dined with us. A good dinner; and
then to have my haire cut against winter close to my head, and then to
church again. A sorry sermon, and away home. [Sir] W. Pen and I to walk
to talk about several businesses, and then home; and my wife and I to
read in Fuller's Church History, and so to supper and to bed. This month
ends with my mind full of business and concernment how this office
will speed with the Parliament, which begins to be mighty severe in the
examining our accounts, and the expence of the Navy this war.

OCTOBER 1666