Diary, March 1666/67 | Page 7

the yard, and thence to the Rope-yard, and so to the White Hart and
there dined, and Captain Cocke with us, whom we found at the

Rope-yard, and very merry at dinner, and many pretty tales of Sir J.
Minnes, which I have entered in my tale book. But by this time Sir W.
Batten was come to be in much pain in his foot, so as he was forced to
be carried down in a chair to the barge again, and so away to Deptford,
and there I a little in the yard, and then to Bagwell's, where I find his
wife washing, and also I did 'hazer tout que je voudrais con' her, and
then sent for her husband, and discoursed of his going to Harwich this
week to his charge of the new ship building there, which I have got him,
and so away, walked to Redriffe, and there took boat and away home,
and upon Tower Hill, near the ticket office, meeting with my old
acquaintance Mr. Chaplin, the cheesemonger, and there fell to talk of
news, and he tells me that for certain the King of France is denied
passage with his army through Flanders, and that he hears that the
Dutch do stand upon high terms with us, and will have a promise of not
being obliged to strike the flag to us before they will treat with us, and
other high things, which I am ashamed of and do hope will never be
yielded to. That they do make all imaginable preparations, but that he
believes they will be in mighty want of men; that the King of France do
court us mightily. He tells me too that our Lord-Treasurer is going to
lay down, and that Lord Arlington is to be Lord Treasurer, but I believe
nothing of it, for he is not yet of estate visible enough to have the
charge I suppose upon him. So being parted from him I home to the
office, and after having done business there I home to supper, and there
mightily pleased with my wife's beginning the flagellette, believing that
she will come to very well thereon. This day in the barge I took
Berckenshaw's translation of Alsted his Templum, but the most
ridiculous book, as he has translated it, that ever I saw in my life, I
declaring that I understood not three lines together from one end of the
book to the other.

5th. Up, and to the office, where met and sat all the morning, doing
little for want of money, but only bear the countenance of an office. At
noon home to dinner, and then to the office again, and there comes
Martin my purser, and I walked with him awhile in the garden, I giving
him good advice to beware of coming any more with high demands for
supernumeraries or other things, for now Sir W. Pen is come to mind
the business, the passing of his accounts will not be so easy as the last.

He tells me he will never need it again, it being as easy, and to as much
purpose to do the same thing otherwise, and how he do keep his
Captain's table, and by that means hath the command of his Captains,
and do not fear in a 5th- rate ship constantly employed to get a L1000
in five years time, and this year, besides all his spendings, which are I
fear high, he hath got at this day clear above L150 in a voyage of about
five or six months, which is a brave trade. He gone I to the office, and
there all the afternoon late doing much business, and then to see Sir W.
Batten, whose leg is all but better than it was, and like to do well. I by
discourse do perceive he and his Lady are to their hearts out with my
Lord Bruncker and Mrs. Williams, to which I added something, but, I
think, did not venture too far with them. But, Lord! to see to what a
poor content any acquaintance among these people, or the people of the
world, as they now-adays go, is worth; for my part I and my wife will
keep to one another and let the world go hang, for there is nothing but
falseness in it. So home to supper and hear my wife and girle sing a
little, and then to bed with much content of mind.

6th. Up, and with [Sir] W. Pen to White Hall by coach, and by the way
agreed to acquaint [Sir] W. Coventry with the business of Mr. Carcasse,
and he and I spoke to Sir W. Coventry that we might move it to the
Duke of York, which I did in