Diary, Aug/Sep 1664 | Page 8

or 23rd July, A.D. 1664 (old style), which is
that used by Pepys.--B.]
killed the Grand Vizier and several great Bassas, with an army of
80,000 men killed and routed; with some considerable loss of his own
side, having lost three generals, and the French forces all cut off almost.
Which is thought as good a service to the Emperour as beating the
Turke almost, for had they conquered they would have been as
troublesome to him.
[The fact is, the Germans were beaten by the Turks, and the French

won the battle for them.--B.]

10th. Up, and, being ready, abroad to do several small businesses,
among others to find out one to engrave my tables upon my new sliding
rule with silver plates, it being so small that Browne that made it cannot
get one to do it. So I find out Cocker, the famous writing-master, and
get him to do it, and I set an hour by him to see him design it all; and
strange it is to see him with his natural eyes to cut so small at his first
designing it, and read it all over, without any missing, when for my life
I could not, with my best skill, read one word or letter of it; but it is use.
But he says that the best light for his life to do a very small thing by
(contrary to Chaucer's words to the Sun, "that he should lend his light
to them that small seals grave"), it should be by an artificial light of a
candle, set to advantage, as he could do it. I find the fellow, by his
discourse, very ingenuous; and among other things, a great admirer and
well read in all our English poets, and undertakes to judge of them all,
and that not impertinently. Well pleased with his company and better
with his judgement upon my Rule, I left him and home, whither Mr.
Deane by agreement came to me and dined with me, and by chance
Gunner Batters's wife. After dinner Deane and I [had] great discourse
again about my Lord Chancellor's timber, out of which I wish I may get
well. Thence I to Cocker's again, and sat by him with good discourse
again for an hour or two, and then left him, and by agreement with
Captain Silas Taylor (my old acquaintance at the Exchequer) to the
Post Officer to hear some instrument musique of Mr. Berchenshaw's
before my Lord Brunkard and Sir Robert Murray. I must confess,
whether it be that I hear it but seldom, or that really voice is better, but
so it is that I found no pleasure at all in it, and methought two voyces
were worth twenty of it. So home to my office a while, and then to
supper and to bed.

11th. Up, and through pain, to my great grief forced to wear my gowne
to keep my legs warm. At the office all the morning, and there a high
dispute against Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen about the breadth of
canvas again, they being for the making of it narrower, I and Mr.
Coventry and Sir J. Minnes for the keeping it broader. So home to
dinner, and by and by comes Mr. Creed, lately come from the Downes,

and dined with me. I show him a good countenance, but love him not
for his base ingratitude to me. However, abroad, carried my wife to buy
things at the New Exchange, and so to my Lady Sandwich's, and there
merry, talking with her a great while, and so home, whither comes
Cocker with my rule, which he hath engraved to admiration, for
goodness and smallness of work: it cost me 14s. the doing, and
mightily pleased I am with it. By and by, he gone, comes Mr. Moore
and staid talking with me a great while about my Lord's businesses,
which I fear will be in a bad condition for his family if my Lord should
miscarry at sea. He gone, I late to my office, and cannot forbear
admiring and consulting my new rule, and so home to supper and to
bed. This day, for a wager before the King, my Lords of Castlehaven
and Arran (a son of my Lord of Ormond's), they two alone did run
down and kill a stoute bucke in St. James's parke.

12th. Up, and all the morning busy at the office with Sir W. Warren
about a great contract for New England masts, where I was very hard
with him, even to the making him angry, but I thought it fit to do it as
well as just for my owne [and] the King's behalf. At noon to the
'Change a little, and so to dinner