e person in his head before to have done it, which is a
double pleasure to me. Our business with the Duke being done, [Sir] W.
Pen and I towards the Exchequer, and in our way met Sir G. Downing going
to chapel, but we stopped, and he would go with us back to the Exchequer
and showed us in his office his chests full and ground and shelves full
of money, and says that there is L50,000 at this day in his office of
people's money, who may demand it this day, and might have had it away
several weeks ago upon the late Act, but do rather choose to have
it continue there than to put it into the Banker's hands, and I must
confess it is more than I should have believed had I not seen it, and
more than ever I could have expected would have arisen for this new Act
in so short a time, and if it do so now already what would it do if
the money was collected upon the Act and returned into the Exchequer so
timely as it ought to be. But it comes into my mind here to observe what
I have heard from Sir John Bankes, though I cannot fully conceive the
reason of it, that it will be impossible to make the Exchequer ever
a true bank to all intents, unless the Exchequer stood nearer the
Exchange, where merchants might with ease, while they are going about
their business, at all hours, and without trouble or loss of time, have
their satisfaction, which they cannot have now without much trouble, and
loss of half a day, and no certainty of having the offices open. By this
he means a bank for common practise and use of merchants, and therein I
do agree with him. Being parted from Sir W. Pen and [Sir] G. Downing, I
to Westminster Hall and there met Balty, whom I had sent for, and there
did break the business of my getting him the place of going again as
Muster-Master with Harman this voyage to the West Indys, which indeed
I do owe to Sir W. Pen. He is mighty glad of it, and earnest to fit
himself for it, but I do find, poor man, that he is troubled how to
dispose of his wife, and apparently it is out of fear of her, and his
honour, and I believe he hath received some cause of this his jealousy
and care, and I do pity him in it, and will endeavour to find out some
way to do, it for him. Having put him in a way of preparing himself
for the voyage, I did go to the Swan, and there sent for Jervas, my old
periwig maker, and he did bring me a periwig, but it was full of nits,
so as I was troubled to see it (it being his old fault), and did send
him to make i