but, Lord! though I
believe the Captain has played the knave, though I seem to have a good
opinion of him and to mean him well, what a most troublesome fellow
that Strutt is, such as I never did meet with his fellow in my life. His
talking and ours to make him hold his peace set my head off akeing all
the afternoon with great pain. So to dinner, thinking to have had Mr.
Coventry, but he could not go with me; and so I took Captn. Murford.
Of whom I do hear what the world says of me; that all do conclude Mr.
Coventry, and Pett, and me, to be of a knot; and that we do now
carry all things before us; and much more in particular of me, and my
studiousnesse, &c., to my great content. After dinner came Mrs. Browne,
the Captain's wife, to see me and my wife, and I showed her a good
countenance, and indeed her husband has been civil to us, but though I
speak them fair, yet I doubt I shall not be able to do her husband much
favour in this business of Strutt's, whom without doubt he has abused.
So to the office, and hence, having done some business, by coach to
White Hall to Secretary Bennet's, and agreed with Mr. Lee to set upon
our new adventure at the Tower to-morrow. Hence to Col. Lovelace in
Cannon Row about seeing how Sir R. Ford did report all the officers of
the navy to be rated for the Loyal Sufferers, but finding him at the
Rhenish wine-house I could not have any answer, but must take another
time. Thence to my Lord's, and having sat talking with Mr. Moore
bewailing the vanity and disorders of the age, I went by coach to my
brother's, where I met Sarah, my late mayde, who had a desire to speak
with me, and I with her to know what it was, who told me out of good
will to me, for she loves me dearly, that I would beware of my wife's
brother, for he is begging or borrowing of her and often, and told me
of her Scallop whisk, and her borrowing of 50s. for Will, which she
believes was for him and her father. I do observe so much goodness and
seriousness in the mayde, that I am again and again sorry that I have
parted with her, though it was full against my will then, and if she had
anything in the world I would commend her for a wife for my brother
Tom. After much discourse and her professions of love to me and all my
relations, I bade her good night and did kiss her, and indeed she seemed
very well-favoured to me to-night, as she is always. So by coach home
and to my office, did some business, and so home to supper and to bed.