ajor Allen of the Victualling Office about his ship
to be hired for Tangier, I went to church, and thence home to dinner
alone with my wife, very pleasant, and after dinner to church again, and
heard a dull, drowsy sermon, and so home and to my office, perfecting my
vows again for the next year, which I have now done, and sworn to in
the presence of Almighty God to observe upon the respective penalties
thereto annexed, and then to Sir W. Pen's (though much against my will,
for I cannot bear him, but only to keep him from complaint to others
that I do not see him) to see how he do, and find him pretty well, and
ready to go abroad again.

19th. Up and to White Hall, and while the Duke is dressing himself I
went to wait on my Lord Sandwich, whom I found not very well, and Dr.
Clerke with him. He is feverish, and hath sent for Mr. Pierce to let him
blood, but not being in the way he puts it off till night, but he stirs
not abroad to-day. Then to the Duke, and in his closett discoursed as we
use to do, and then broke up. That done, I singled out Mr. Coventry into
the Matted Gallery, and there I told him the complaints I meet every
day about our Treasurer's or his people's paying no money, but at
the goldsmith's shops, where they are forced to pay fifteen or twenty
sometimes per cent. for their money, which is a most horrid shame, and
that which must not be suffered. Nor is it likely that the Treasurer
(at least his people) will suffer Maynell the Goldsmith to go away with
L10,000 per annum, as he do now get, by making people pay after this
manner for their money. We were interrupted by the Duke, who called Mr.
Coventry aside for half an hour, walking with him in the gallery, and
then in the garden, and then going away I ended my discourse with Mr.
Coventry. But by the way Mr. Coventry was saying that there remained
nothing now in our office to be amended but what would do of itself
every day better and better, for as much as he that was slowest, Sir W.
Batten, do now begin to look about him and to mind business. At which,
God forgive me! I was a little moved with envy, but yet I am glad, and
ought to be, though it do lessen a little my care to see that the King's
service is like to be better attended than it was heretofore. Thence
by coach to Mr. Povy's, being invited thither by [him] came a messenger
this morning from him, where really he made a most excellent and large
dinner, of their variety, even to admiration, he biddin