Mr. Mills made a sorry
sermon to prove that there was a world to come after this. Home and
dined and then to my chamber, where all the afternoon. Anon comes Mr.
Andrews to see and sing with me, but Mr. Hill not coming, and having
business, we soon parted, there coming Mr. Povy and Creed to discourse
about our Tangier business of money. They gone, I hear Sir W. Batten and
my Lady are returned from Harwich. I went to see them, and it is pretty
to see how we appear kind one to another, though neither of us care 2d.
one for another. Home to supper, and there coming a hasty letter from
Commissioner Pett for pressing of some calkers (as I would ever on
his Majesty's service), with all speed, I made a warrant presently and
issued it. So to my office a little, and then home to bed.

19th. Up, and to White Hall with Sir W. Batten (calling at my Lord
Ashly's, but to no purpose, by the way, he being not up), and there had
our usual meeting before the Duke with the officers of the Ordnance
with us, which in some respects I think will be the better for us, for
despatch sake. Thence home to the 'Change and dined alone (my wife gone
to her mother's), after dinner to my little new goldsmith's,

[John Colvill of Lombard Street, see ante, May 24th. He lost
L85,832 17s. 2d. by the closing of the Exchequer in 1672, and he
died between 1672 and 1677 (Price's "Handbook of London Bankers ").]

whose wife indeed is one of the prettiest, modest black women that ever
I saw. I paid for a dozen of silver salts L6 14s. 6d. Thence with Sir
W. Pen from the office down to Greenwich to see Sir J. Lawson, who is
better, but continues ill; his hickupp not being yet gone, could have
little discourse with him. So thence home and to supper, a while to the
office, my head and mind mightily vexed to see the multitude of papers
and business before [me] and so little time to do it in. So to bed.

20th. Thankes-giving-day for victory over ye Dutch. Up, and to the
office, where very busy alone all the morning till church time, and
there heard a mean sorry sermon of Mr. Mills. Then to the Dolphin
Taverne, where all we officers of the Navy met with the Commissioners
of the Ordnance by agreement, and dined: where good musique at my
direction. Our club--[share]

["Next these a sort of Sots there are,
Who crave more wine than they can bear,
Yet hate, when drunk, to pay or spend
Their equ