Diary, August 1665 | Page 9

my very great joy; so that I
shall be in much better state of soul, I hope, if it should please the Lord
to call me away this sickly time. At night to read, being weary with this
day's great work, and then after supper to bed, to rise betimes
to-morrow, and to bed with a mind as free as to the business of the
world as if I were not worth L100 in the whole world, every thing
being evened under my hand in my books and papers, and upon the
whole I find myself worth, besides Brampton estate, the sum of L2164,

for which the Lord be praised!

14th. Up, and my mind being at mighty ease from the dispatch of my
business so much yesterday, I down to Deptford to Sir G. Carteret,
where with him a great while, and a great deale of private talke
concerning my Lord Sandwich's and his matters, and chiefly of the
latter, I giving him great deale of advice about the necessity of his
having caution concerning Fenn, and the many ways there are of his
being abused by any man in his place, and why he should not bring his
son in to look after his business, and more, to be a Commissioner of the
Navy, which he listened to and liked, and told me how much the King
was his good Master, and was sure not to deny him that or any thing
else greater than that, and I find him a very cunning man, whatever at
other times he seems to be, and among other things he told me he was
not for the fanfaroone
[Fanfaron, French, from fanfare, a sounding of trumpets; hence, a
swaggerer, or empty boaster.]
to make a show with a great title, as he might have had long since, but
the main thing to get an estate; and another thing, speaking of minding
of business, "By God," says he, "I will and have already almost brought
it to that pass, that the King shall not be able to whip a cat, but I must
be at the tayle of it." Meaning so necessary he is, and the King and my
Lord Treasurer and all do confess it; which, while I mind my business,
is my own case in this office of the Navy, and I hope shall be more, if
God give me life and health. Thence by agreement to Sir J. Minnes's
lodgings, where I found my Lord Bruncker, and so by water to the ferry,
and there took Sir W. Batten's coach that was sent for us, and to Sir W.
Batten's, where very merry, good cheer, and up and down the garden
with great content to me, and, after dinner, beat Captain Cocke at
billiards, won about 8s. of him and my Lord Bruncker. So in the
evening after, much pleasure back again and I by water to Woolwich,
where supped with my wife, and then to bed betimes, because of rising
to-morrow at four of the clock in order to the going out with Sir G.
Carteret toward Cranborne to my Lord Hinchingbrooke in his way to

Court. This night I did present my wife with the dyamond ring, awhile
since given me by Mr. Dicke Vines's brother, for helping him to be a
purser, valued at about L10, the first thing of that nature I did ever give
her. Great fears we have that the plague will be a great Bill this weeke.

15th. Up by 4 o'clock and walked to Greenwich, where called at
Captain Cocke's and to his chamber, he being in bed, where something
put my last night's dream into my head, which I think is the best that
ever was dreamt, which was that I had my Lady Castlemayne in my
armes and was admitted to use all the dalliance I desired with her, and
then dreamt that this could not be awake, but that it was only a dream;
but that since it was a dream, and that I took so much real pleasure in it,
what a happy thing it would be if when we are in our graves (as
Shakespeere resembles it) we could dream, and dream but such dreams
as this, that then we should not need to be so fearful of death, as we are
this plague time. Here I hear that news is brought Sir G. Carteret that
my Lord Hinchingbrooke is not well, and so cannot meet us at
Cranborne to-night. So I to Sir G. Carteret's; and there was sorry with
him for our disappointment. So we have put off our meeting there till
Saturday next. Here I staid talking with Sir G. Carteret, he being
mighty free with me in his business, and among other