Diary, Apr/May 1664 | Page 8

by coach home, and to my office, where late with Sir W. Warren,
and so home to supper and to bed. I heard to-day that the Dutch have
begun with us by granting letters of marke against us; but I believe it
not.

7th. Up and to my office, where busy, and by and by comes Sir W.
Warren and old Mr. Bond in order to the resolving me some questions
about masts and their proportions, but he could say little to me to my
satisfaction, and so I held him not long but parted. So to my office busy
till noon and then to the 'Change, where high talke of the Dutch's
protest against our Royall Company in Guinny, and their granting
letters of marke against us there, and every body expects a warr, but I
hope it will not yet be so, nor that this is true. Thence to dinner, where
my wife got me a pleasant French fricassee of veal for dinner, and

thence to the office, where vexed to see how Sir W. Batten ordered
things this afternoon (vide my office book, for about this time I have
begun, my notions and informations encreasing now greatly every day,
to enter all occurrences extraordinary in my office in a book by
themselves), and so in the evening after long discourse and eased my
mind by discourse with Sir W. Warren, I to my business late, and so
home to supper and to bed.

8th. Up betimes and to the office, and anon, it begunn to be fair after a
great shower this morning, Sir W. Batten and I by water (calling his
son Castle by the way, between whom and I no notice at all of his letter
the other day to me) to Deptford, and after a turn in the yard, I went
with him to the Almes'-house to see the new building which he, with
some ambition, is building of there, during his being Master of Trinity
House; and a good worke it is, but to see how simply he answered
somebody concerning setting up the arms of the corporation upon the
door, that and any thing else he did not deny it, but said he would leave
that to the master that comes after him. There I left him and to the
King's yard again, and there made good inquiry into the business of the
poop lanterns, wherein I found occasion to correct myself mightily for
what I have done in the contract with the platerer, and am resolved,
though I know not how, to make them to alter it, though they signed it
last night, and so I took Stanes
[Among the State Papers is a petition of Thomas Staine to the Navy
Commissioners "for employment as plateworker in one or two
dockyards. Has incurred ill-will by discovering abuses in the great rates
given by the king for several things in the said trade. Begs the
appointment, whereby it will be seen who does the work best and
cheapest, otherwise he and all others will be discouraged from
discovering abuses in future, with order thereon for a share of the work
to be given to him" ("Calendar," Domestic, 1663-64, p. 395)]
home with me by boat and discoursed it, and he will come to reason
when I can make him to understand it. No sooner landed but it fell a
mighty storm of rain and hail, so I put into a cane shop and bought one
to walk with, cost me 4s. 6d., all of one joint. So home to dinner, and
had an excellent Good Friday dinner of peas porridge and apple pye. So
to the office all the afternoon preparing a new book for my contracts,

and this afternoon come home the office globes done to my great
content. In the evening a little to visit Sir W. Pen, who hath a feeling
this day or two of his old pain. Then to walk in the garden with my
wife, and so to my office a while, and then home to the only Lenten
supper I have had of wiggs--[Buns or teacakes.]-- and ale, and so to bed.
This morning betimes came to my office to me boatswain Smith of
Woolwich, telling me a notable piece of knavery of the officers of the
yard and Mr. Gold in behalf of a contract made for some old ropes by
Mr. Wood, and I believe I shall find Sir W. Batten of the plot (vide my
office daybook).
[These note-books referred to in the Diary are not known to exist now.]

9th. The last night, whether it was from cold I got to-day upon the
water I know not, or whether it was from my mind being over
concerned with Stanes's business