, built at
Chatham by Captain Tayler in 1656.]

brought the three prisoners, Barkestead, Okey, and Corbet, to the Tower,
being taken at Delfe in Holland; where, the Captain tells me, the Dutch
were a good while before they could be persuaded to let them go, they
being taken prisoners in their land. But Sir G. Downing would not
be answered so: though all the world takes notice of him for a most
ungrateful villain for his pains.

18th. All the morning at the office with Sir W. Pen. Dined at home, and
Luellin and Blurton with me. After dinner to the office again, where Sir
G. Carteret and we staid awhile, and then Sir W. Pen and I on board some
of the ships now fitting for East Indys and Portugall, to see in what
forwardness they are, and so back home again, and I write to my father
by the post about Brampton Court, which is now coming on. But that
which troubles me is that my Father has now got an ague that I fear may
endanger his life. So to bed.

19th. All the morning and afternoon at my office putting things in
order, and in the evening I do begin to digest my uncle the Captain's
papers into one book, which I call my Brampton book, for the clearer
understanding things how they are with us. So home and supper and to
bed. This noon came a letter from T. Pepys, the turner, in answer to one
of mine the other day to him, wherein I did cheque him for not coming to
me, as he had promised, with his and his father's resolucion about the
difference between us. But he writes to me in the very same slighting
terms that I did to him, without the least respect at all, but word for
word as I did him, which argues a high and noble spirit in him, though
it troubles me a little that he should make no more of my anger, yet I
cannot blame him for doing so, he being the elder brother's son, and not
depending upon me at all.

20th. At my office all the morning, at noon to the Exchange, and so home
to dinner, and then all the afternoon at the office till late at night,
and so home and to bed, my mind in good ease when I mind business, which
methinks should be a good argument to me never to do otherwise.

21st. With Sir W. Batten by water to Whitehall, and he to Westminster. I
went to see Sarah and my Lord's lodgings, which are now all in dirt, to
be repaired against my Lord's coming from sea with the Queen. Thence
to Westminster Hall; and there walked up and down and heard the great
difference that hath been between my Lord Chancel