od, and so home to bed, my house being full of a design, to go
to-morrow, my wife and all her servants, to see the new ship launched.

26th. Up, my people rising mighty betimes, to fit themselves to go by
water; and my boy, he could not sleep, but wakes about four o'clock,
and in bed lay playing on his lute till daylight, and, it seems, did the
like last night till twelve o'clock. About eight o'clock, my wife, she
and her woman, and Besse and Jane, and W. Hewer and the boy, to the
water-side, and there took boat, and by and by I out of doors, to look
after the flaggon, to get it ready to carry to Woolwich. That being not
ready, I stepped aside and found out Nellson, he that Whistler buys his
bewpers of, and did there buy 5 pieces at their price, and am in hopes
thereby to bring them down or buy ourselves all we spend of Nellson at
the first hand. This jobb was greatly to my content, and by and by the
flaggon being finished at the burnisher's, I home, and there fitted
myself, and took a hackney-coach I hired, it being a very cold and
foule day, to Woolwich, all the way reading in a good book touching the
fishery, and that being done, in the book upon the statute of charitable
uses, mightily to my satisfaction. At Woolwich; I there up to the King
and Duke, and they liked the plate well. Here I staid above with them
while the ship was launched, which was done with great success, and the
King did very much like the ship, saying, she had the best bow that
ever he saw. But, Lord! the sorry talke and discourse among the great
courtiers round about him, without any reverence in the world, but with
so much disorder. By and by the Queene comes and her Mayds of Honour;
one whereof, Mrs. Boynton, and the Duchesse of Buckingham, had been very
siclee coming by water in the barge (the water being very rough); but
what silly sport they made with them in very common terms, methought,
was very poor, and below what people think these great people say and
do. The launching being done, the King and company went down to take
barge; and I sent for Mr. Pett, and put the flaggon into the Duke's
hand, and he, in the presence of the King, did give it, Mr. Pett taking
it upon his knee. This Mr. Pett is wholly beholding to me for, and he
do know and I believe will acknowledge it. Thence I to Mr. Ackworth, and
there eat and drank with Commissioner Pett and his wife, and thence to
Shelden's, where Sir W. Batten and his Lady were. By and by I took coach