Diary, Jan/Feb 1665/66 | Page 6

found. But I see that this arises from his great
trouble to see the Act succeede, and to hear my name so much used and
my letters shown at Court about goods served us in upon the credit of it.
But I do make him believe that I do it with all respect to him and on his
behalfe too, as indeed I do, as well as my owne, that it may not be said
that he or I do not assist therein. He tells me that my Lord Sandwich do
proceed on his journey with the greatest kindnesse that can be imagined
from the King and Chancellor, which was joyfull newes to me. Thence
with Lord Bruncker to Greenwich by water to a great dinner and much
company; Mr. Cottle and his lady and others and I went, hoping to get
Mrs. Knipp to us, having wrote a letter to her in the morning, calling
myself "Dapper Dicky," in answer to hers of "Barbary Allen," but
could not, and am told by the boy that carried my letter, that he found
her crying; but I fear she lives a sad life with that ill-natured fellow her
husband: so we had a great, but I a melancholy dinner, having not her
there, as I hoped. After dinner to cards, and then comes notice that my

wife is come unexpectedly to me to towne. So I to her. It is only to see
what I do, and why I come not home; and she is in the right that I
would have a little more of Mrs. Knipp's company before I go away.
My wife to fetch away my things from Woolwich, and I back to cards
and after cards to choose King and Queene, and a good cake there was,
but no marks found; but I privately found the clove, the mark of the
knave, and privately put it into Captain Cocke's piece, which made
some mirthe, because of his lately being knowne by his buying of clove
and mace of the East India prizes. At night home to my lodging, where
I find my wife returned with my things, and there also Captain Ferrers
is come upon business of my Lord's to this town about getting some
goods of his put on board in order to his going to Spain, and Ferrers
presumes upon my finding a bed for him, which I did not like to have
done without my invitation because I had done [it] several times before,
during the plague, that he could not provide himself safely elsewhere.
But it being Twelfth Night, they had got the fiddler and mighty merry
they were; and I above come not to them, but when I had done my
business among my papers went to bed, leaving them dancing, and
choosing King and Queene.

7th (Lord's day). Up, and being trimmed I was invited by Captain
Cocke, so I left my wife, having a mind to some discourse with him,
and dined with him. He tells me of new difficulties about his goods
which troubles me and I fear they will be great. He tells me too what I
hear everywhere how the towne talks of my Lord Craven being to come
into Sir G. Carteret's place; but sure it cannot be true. But I do fear
those two families, his and my Lord Sandwich's, are quite broken. And
I must now stand upon my own legs. Thence to my lodging, and
considering how I am hindered by company there to do any thing
among my papers, I did resolve to go away to-day rather than stay to no
purpose till to-morrow and so got all my things packed up and spent
half an hour with W. Howe about his papers of accounts for
contingencies and my Lord's accounts, so took leave of my landlady
and daughters, having paid dear for what time I have spent there, but
yet having been quiett and my health, I am very well contented
therewith. So with my wife and Mercer took boat and away home; but
in the evening, before I went, comes Mrs. Knipp, just to speake with

me privately, to excuse her not coming to me yesterday, complaining
how like a devil her husband treats her, but will be with us in towne a
weeke hence, and so I kissed her and parted. Being come home, my
wife and I to look over our house and consider of laying out a little
money to hang our bedchamber better than it is, and so resolved to go
and buy something to-morrow, and so after supper, with great joy in
my heart for my coming once again hither, to bed.

8th. Up, and my wife and I by coach to Bennett's, in Paternoster