any brave Englishmen were knocked on the head by the Moores,
when Fines made his sally out." Here till almost night, and then home
with Sir J. Minnes by coach, and so to my office a while, and home to
supper and bed, being now in constant pain in my back, but whether it be
only wind or what it is the Lord knows, but I fear the worst.

3rd. Up, still in a constant pain in my back, which much afflicts me
with fear of the consequence of it. All the morning at the office, we
sat at the office extraordinary upon the business of our stores, but,
Lord! what a pitiful account the Surveyor makes of it grieves my heart.
This morning before I came out I made a bargain with Captain Taylor for
a ship for the Commissioners for Tangier, wherein I hope to get L40 or
L50. To the 'Change, and thence home and dined, and then by coach to
White Hall, sending my wife to Mrs. Hunt's. At the Committee for Tangier
all the afternoon, where a sad consideration to see things of so great
weight managed in so confused a manner as it is, so as I would not
have the buying of an acre of land bought by the Duke of York and Mr.
Coventry, for ought I see, being the only two that do anything like men;
Prince Rupert do nothing but swear and laugh a little, with an oathe or
two, and that's all he do. Thence called my wife and home, and I late
at my office, and so home to supper and to bed, pleased at my hopes of
gains by to-day's work, but very sad to think of the state of my health.

4th. Up and to St. James's by coach, after a good deal of talk before
I went forth with J. Noble, who tells me that he will secure us against
Cave, that though he knows, and can prove it, yet nobody else can
prove it, to be Tom's child; that the bond was made by one Hudson, a
scrivener, next to the Fountaine taverne, in the Old Bayly; that the
children were born, and christened, and entered in the parish-book of
St. Sepulchre's, by the name of Anne and Elizabeth Taylor and he will
give us security against Cave if we pay him the money. And then up to
the Duke, and was with him giving him an account how matters go, and
of the necessity there is of a power to presse seamen, without which we
cannot really raise men for this fleete of twelve sayle, besides that it
will assert the King's power of pressing, which at present is somewhat
doubted, and will make the Dutch believe that we are in earnest. Thence
by water to the office, where we sat till almost two o'clock. This
morning Capt