d then home to dinner,
glad that I had done so much, and so abroad to White Hall, to the
Commissioners of the Treasury, and there did a little business with
them, and so home, leaving multitudes of solicitors at their door, of
one sort or other, complaining for want of such despatch as they had in
my Lord Treasurer's time, when I believe more business was despatched,
but it was in his manner to the King's wrong. Among others here was
Gresham College coming about getting a grant of Chelsey College for
their Society, which the King, it seems, hath given them his right in;
but they met with some other pretences, I think; to it, besides the
King's. Thence took up my wife, whom I had left at her tailor's, and
home, and there, to save my eyes, got my wife at home to read again,
as last night, in the same book, till W. Batelier come and spent the
evening talking with us, and supped with us, and so to bed.

19th. To the office, and thence before noon I, by the Board's direction,
to the Parliament House to speak with Sir R. Brookes about the meaning
of an order come to us this day to bring all the books of the office to
the Committee. I find by him that it is only about the business of an
order of ours for paying off the ships by ticket, which they think I on
behalf of my Lord Bruncker do suppress, which vexes me, and more at its
occasioning the bringing them our books. So home and to dinner, where
Mr. Shepley with me, newly come out of the country, but I was at little
liberty to talk to him, but after dinner with two contracts to the
Committee, with Lord Bruncker and Sir T. Harvy, and there did deliver
them, and promised at their command more, but much against my will.
And here Sir R. Brookes did take me alone, and pray me to prevent their
trouble, by discovering the order he would have. I told him I would
suppress none, nor could, but this did not satisfy him, and so we
parted, I vexed that I should bring on myself this suspicion. Here I
did stand by unseen, and did hear their impertinent yet malicious
examinations of some rogues about the business of Bergen, wherein they
would wind in something against my Lord Sandwich (it was plain by their
manner of examining, as Sir Thomas Crew did afterwards observe to me,
who was there), but all amounted to little I think. But here Sir Thomas
Crew and W. Hewer, who was there also, did tell me that they did hear
Captain Downing give a cruel testimony against my Lord Bruncker, for his
negl