Diary, Nov/Dec 1662 | Page 9

Dolphin Tavern near home, by appointment, and
there met with Wade and Evett, and have resolved to make a new
attempt upon another discovery, in which God give us better fortune
than in the other, but I have great confidence that there is no cheat in
these people, but that they go upon good grounds, though they have
been mistaken in the place of the first. From thence, without drinking a
drop of wine, home to my office and there made an end, though late, of
my collection of the prices of masts for these twelve years to this day,
in order to the buying of some of Wood, and I bound it up in painted
paper to lie by as a book for future use. So home and to supper and to
bed, and a little before and after we were in bed we had much talk and
difference between us about my wife's having a woman, which I
seemed much angry at, that she should go so far in it without
consideration and my being consulted with. So to bed.

13th. Up and began our discontent again and sorely angered my wife,
who indeed do live very lonely, but I do perceive that it is want of work

that do make her and all other people think of ways of spending their
time worse, and this I owe to my building, that do not admit of her
undertaking any thing of work, because the house has been and is still
so dirty. I to my office, and there sat all the morning and dined with
discontent with my wife at noon, and so to my office, and there this
afternoon we had our first meeting upon our commission of inspecting
the Chest, and there met Sir J. Minnes, Sir Francis Clerke, Mr. Heath,
Atturney of the Dutchy, Mr. Prinn, Sir W. Rider, Captn. Cocke, and
myself. Our first work to read over the Institution, which is a decree in
Chancery in the year 1617, upon an inquisition made at Rochester
about that time into the revenues of the Chest, which had then, from the
year 1588 or 1590, by the advice of the Lord High Admiral and
principal officers then being, by consent of the seamen, been settled,
paying sixpence per month, according to their wages then, which was
then but 10s. which is now 24s. We adjourned to a fortnight hence. So
broke up, and I to see Sir W. Pen, who is now pretty well, but lies in
bed still; he cannot rise to stand. Then to my office late, and this
afternoon my wife in her discontent sent me a letter, which I am in a
quandary what to do, whether to read it or not, but I purpose not, but to
burn it before her face, that I may put a stop to more of this nature. But
I must think of some way, either to find her some body to keep her
company, or to set her to work, and by employment to take up her
thoughts and time. After doing what I had to do I went home to supper,
and there was very sullen to my wife, and so went to bed and to sleep
(though with much ado, my mind being troubled) without speaking one
word to her.

14th. She begun to talk in the morning and to be friends, believing all
this while that. I had read her letter, which I perceive by her discourse
was full of good counsel, and relating the reason of her desiring a
woman, and how little charge she did intend it to be to me, so I begun
and argued it as full and plain to her, and she to reason it highly to me,
to put her away, and take one of the Bowyers if I did dislike her, that I
did resolve when the house is ready she shall try her for a while; the
truth is, I having a mind to have her come for her musique and dancing.
So up and about my papers all the morning, and her brother coming I
did tell him my mind plain, who did assure me that they were both of

the sisters very humble and very poor, and that she that we are to have
would carry herself so. So I was well contented and spent part of the
morning at my office, and so home and to dinner, and after dinner,
finding Sarah to be discontented at the news of this woman, I did begin
in my wife's chamber to talk to her and tell her that it was not out of
unkindness to her, but my wife came up, and I perceive she is not too
reconciled to her whatever