, and
I took boat and over to the ferry, where Sir W. Batten's coach was ready
for us, and to Walthamstow drove merrily, excellent merry discourse in the
way, and most upon our last night's revells; there come we were very
merry, and a good plain venison dinner. After dinner to billiards, where
I won an angel,

[A gold coin, so called because it bore the image of an angel,
varying in value from six shillings and eightpence to ten
shillings.]

and among other sports we were merry with my pretending to have a warrant
to Sir W. Hickes (who was there, and was out of humour with Sir W. Doyly's
having lately got a warrant for a leash of buckes, of which we were now
eating one) which vexed him, and at last would compound with me to give my
Lord Bruncker half a buck now, and me a Doe for it a while hence when the
season comes in, which we agreed to and had held, but that we fear Sir W.
Doyly did betray our design, which spoiled all; however, my Lady Batten
invited herself to dine with him this week, and she invited us all to dine
with her there, which we agreed to, only to vex him, he being the most
niggardly fellow, it seems, in the world. Full of good victuals and mirth
we set homeward in the evening, and very merry all the way. So to
Greenwich, where when come I find my Lord Rutherford and Creed come from
Court, and among other things have brought me several orders for money to
pay for Tangier; and, among the rest L7000 and more, to this Lord, which
is an excellent thing to consider, that, though they can do nothing else,
they can give away the King's money upon their progresse. I did give him
the best answer I could to pay him with tallys, and that is all they could
get from me. I was not in humour to spend much time with them, but walked
a little before Sir J. Minnes's door and then took leave, and I by water
to Woolwich, where with my wife to a game at tables,

[The old name for backgammon, used by Shakespeare and others. The
following lines are from an epitaph entirely made up of puns on
backgammon

"Man's life's a game at tables, and he may
Mend his bad fortune by his wiser play."

Wit's Recre., i. 250, reprint, 1817.]

and to bed.

12th. Up, and walked to the office, where we sat late, and thence to
dinner home with Sir J. Minnes, and so to the office, where writing
letters, and home in the evening, where my wife she