Diary, 1665 N.S. Complete | Page 7

home to dinner. After dinner to Gresham College to
my Lord Brunker and Commissioner Pett, taking, Mr. Castle with me
there to discourse over his draught of a ship he is to build for us. Where
I first found reason to apprehend Commissioner Pett to be a man of an
ability extraordinary in any thing, for I found he did turn and wind
Castle like a chicken in his business, and that most pertinently and
mister-like, and great pleasure it was to me to hear them discourse, I, of
late having studied something thereof, and my Lord Brunker is a very
able person also himself in this sort of business, as owning himself to
be a master in the business of all lines and Conicall Sections: Thence
home, where very late at my office doing business to my content,
though [God] knows with what ado it was that when I was out I could
get myself to come home to my business, or when I was there though
late would stay there from going abroad again. To supper and to bed.
This evening, by a letter from Plymouth, I hear that two of our ships,
the Leopard and another, in the Straights, are lost by running aground;
and that three more had like to have been so, but got off, whereof
Captain Allen one: and that a Dutch fleete are gone thither; which if
they should meet with our lame ships, God knows what would become

of them. This I reckon most sad newes; God make us sensible of it!
This night, when I come home, I was much troubled to hear my poor
canary bird, that I have kept these three or four years, is dead.

12th. Up, and to White Hall about getting a privy seal for felling of the
King's timber for the navy, and to the Lords' House to speak with my
Lord Privy Seale about it, and so to the 'Change, where to my last
night's ill news I met more. Spoke with a Frenchman who was taken,
but released, by a Dutch man-of-war of thirty-six guns (with seven
more of the like or greater ships), off the North Foreland, by Margett.
Which is a strange attempt, that they should come to our teeth; but the
wind being easterly, the wind that should bring our force from
Portsmouth, will carry them away home. God preserve us against them,
and pardon our making them in our discourse so contemptible an
enemy! So home and to dinner, where Mr. Hollyard with us dined. So
to the office, and there late till 11 at night and more, and then home to
supper and to bed.

13th. Up betimes and walked to my Lord Bellasses's lodgings in
Lincolne's Inne Fieldes, and there he received and discoursed with me
in the most respectfull manner that could be, telling me what a
character of my judgment, and care, and love to Tangier he had
received of me, that he desired my advice and my constant
correspondence, which he much valued, and in my courtship, in which,
though I understand his designe very well, and that it is only a piece of
courtship, yet it is a comfort to me that I am become so considerable as
to have him need to say that to me, which, if I did not do something in
the world, would never have been. Here well satisfied I to Sir Ph.
Warwicke, and there did some business with him; thence to Jervas's
and there spent a little idle time with him, his wife, Jane, and a
sweetheart of hers. So to the Hall awhile and thence to the Exchange,
where yesterday's newes confirmed, though in a little different manner;
but a couple of ships in the Straights we have lost, and the Dutch have
been in Margaret [Margate] Road. Thence home to dinner and so
abroad and alone to the King's house, to a play, "The Traytor," where,

unfortunately, I met with Sir W. Pen, so that I must be forced to
confess it to my wife, which troubles me. Thence walked home, being
ill- satisfied with the present actings of the House, and prefer the other
House before this infinitely. To my Lady Batten's, where I find Pegg
Pen, the first time that ever I saw her to wear spots. Here very merry,
Sir W. Batten being looked for to-night, but is not yet come from
Harwich. So home to supper and to bed.

14th. Up and to White Hall, where long waited in the Duke's chamber
for a Committee intended for Tangier, but none met, and so I home and
to the office, where we met a little, and then to the 'Change, where our
late ill newes confirmed in loss of two