Diary, August 1668 | Page 7

to visit W. Pen, who is yet
ill, and then home, where W. Batelier and Mrs. Turner come and sat
and supped with us, and so they gone we to bed. This afternoon my
wife, and Mercer, and Deb., went with Pelting to see the gypsies at
Lambeth, and have their fortunes told; but what they did, I did not
enquire.

12th. Up, and all the morning busy at my office. Thence to the Excise
Office, and so to the Temple to take counsel about Major Nicholls's
business for the King. So to several places about business, and among
others to Drumbleby's about the mouths for my paper tubes, and so to
the 'Change and home. Met Captain Cocke, who tells me that he hears
for certain the Duke of York will lose the authority of an Admiral, and
be governed by a Committee: and all our Office changed; only they are
in dispute whether I shall continue or no, which puts new thoughts in
me, but I know not whether to be glad or sorry. Home to dinner, where
Pelting dines with us, and brings some partridges, which is very good
meat; and, after dinner, I, and wife, and Mercer, and Deb., to the Duke
of York's house, and saw "Mackbeth," to our great content, and then
home, where the women went to the making of my tubes, and I to the
office, and then come Mrs. Turner and her husband to advise about
their son, the Chaplain, who is turned out of his ship, a sorrow to them,
which I am troubled for, and do give them the best advice I can, and so
they gone we to bed.

13th. Up, and Greeting comes, and there he and I tried some things of
Mr. Locke's for two flageolets, to my great content, and this day my
wife begins again to learn of him; for I have a great mind for her to be
able to play a part with me. Thence I to the Office, where all the
afternoon [morning??], and then to dinner, where W. Howe dined with
me, who tells me for certain that Creed is like to speed in his match
with Mrs. Betty Pickering. Here dined with me also Mr. Hollier, who is
mighty vain in his pretence to talk Latin. So to the Office again all the
afternoon till night, very busy, and so with much content home, and
made my wife sing and play on the flageolet to me till I slept with great
pleasure in bed.

14th. Up, and by water to White Hall and St. James's, and to see Sir W.
Coventry, and discourse about business of our Office, telling him my
trouble there, to see how things are ordered. I told him also what Cocke
told me the other day, but he says there is not much in it, though he do
know that this hath been in the eye of some persons to compass for the
turning all things in the navy, and that it looks so like a popular thing as
that he thinks something may be done in it, but whether so general or
no, as I tell it him, he knows not. Thence to White Hall, and there wait
at the Council-chamber door a good while, talking with one or other,
and so home by water, though but for a little while, because I am to
return to White Hall. At home I find Symson, putting up my new
chimney-piece, in our great chamber, which is very fine, but will cost a
great deal of money, but it is not flung away. So back to White Hall,
and after the council up, I with Mr. Wren, by invitation, to Sir Stephen
Fox's to dinner, where the Cofferer and Sir Edward Savage; where
many good stories of the antiquity and estates of many families at this
day in Cheshire, and that part of the kingdom, more than what is on this
side, near London. My Lady [Fox] dining with us; a very good lady,
and a family governed so nobly and neatly as do me good to see it.
Thence the Cofferer, Sir Stephen, and I to the Commissioners of the
Treasury about business: and so I up to the Duke of York, who
enquired for what I had promised him, about my observations of the
miscarriages of our Office;
[This refers to the letter on the affairs of the office which Pepys
prepared, and respecting which, and the proceedings which grew out of

it, so many references are made in future pages of the Diary.]
and I told him he should have it next week, being glad he called for it;
for I find he is concerned to do something, and to secure himself
thereby,