to bed, being in much
pain from yesterday's being abroad, which is a consideration of mighty
sorrow to me.

31st. Up, and called upon Mr. Hollyard, with whom I advised and shall
fall upon some course of doing something for my disease of the
wind, which grows upon me every day more and more. Thence to my Lord
Sandwich's, and while he was dressing I below discoursed with Captain
Cooke, and I think if I do find it fit to keep a boy at all I had as
good be supplied from him with one as any body. By and by up to my Lord,
and to discourse about his going to sea, and the message I had from Mr.
Coventry to him. He wonders, as he well may, that this course should
be taken, and he every day with the Duke, who, nevertheless, seems
most friendly to him, who hath not yet spoke one word to my Lord of his
desire to have him go to sea. My Lord do tell me clearly that were it
not that he, as all other men that were of the Parliament side, are
obnoxious to reproach, and so is forced to bear what otherwise he would
not, he would never suffer every thing to be done in the Navy, and he
never be consulted; and it seems, in the naming of all these commanders
for this fleete, he hath never been asked one question. But we concluded
it wholly inconsistent with his honour not to go with this fleete, nor
with the reputation which the world hath of his interest at Court;
and so he did give me commission to tell Mr. Coventry that he is most
willing to receive any commands from the Duke in this fleete, were
it less than it is, and that particularly in this service. With
this message I parted, and by coach to the office, where I found Mr.
Coventry, and told him this. Methinks, I confess, he did not seem so
pleased with it as I expected, or at least could have wished, and asked
me whether I had told my Lord that the Duke do not expect his going,
which I told him I had. But now whether he means really that the Duke,
as he told me the other day, do think the Fleete too small for him
to take or that he would not have him go, I swear I cannot tell. But
methinks other ways might have been used to put him by without going in
this manner about it, and so I hope it is out of kindness indeed. Dined
at home, and so to the office, where a great while alone in my office,
nobody near, with Bagwell's wife of Deptford, but the woman seems so
modest that I durst not offer any courtship to her, though I had it in
my mind when I brought her in to me. But I am resolved t