ing of 8s. beer.

24th. Up very betimes, and did much business in my chamber. Then to
the office, where busy all the morning. At noon rose in the pleasantest
humour I have seen Sir W. Coventry and the whole board in this
twelvemonth from a pleasant crossing humour Sir W. Batten was in, he
being hungry, and desirous to be gone. Home, and Mr. Hunt come to dine
with me, but I was prevented dining till 4 o'clock by Sir H. Cholmly and
Sir J. Bankes's coming in about some Tangier business. They gone I to
dinner, the others having dined. Mr. Sheply is also newly come out of
the country and come to see us, whom I am glad to see. He left all
well there; but I perceive under some discontent in my Lord's behalfe,
thinking that he is under disgrace with the King; but he is not so at
all, as Sir G. Carteret assures me. They gone I to the office and did
business, and so in the evening abroad alone with my wife to Kingsland,
and so back again and to bed, my right eye continuing very ill of the
rheum, which hath troubled it four or five days.

25th. Up betimes and to my chamber to do business, where the greatest
part of the morning. Then out to the 'Change to speake with Captain
[Cocke], who tells me my silver plates are ready for me, and shall be
sent me speedily; and proposes another proposition of serving us with
a thousand tons of hempe, and tells me it shall bring me 6500, if the
bargain go forward, which is a good word. Thence to Sir G. Carteret, who
is at the pay of the tickets with Sir J. Minnes this day, and here I sat
with them a while, the first time I ever was there, and thence to dinner
with him, a good dinner. Here come a gentleman over from France arrived
here this day, Mr. Browne of St. Mellos, who, among other things, tells
me the meaning of the setting out of doggs every night out of the towne
walls, which are said to secure the city; but it is not so, but only
to secure the anchors, cables, and ships that lie dry, which might
otherwise in the night be liable to be robbed. And these doggs are set
out every night, and called together in every morning by a man with a
home, and they go in very orderly. Thence home, and there find Knipp at
dinner with my wife, now very big, and within a fortnight of lying down.
But my head was full of business and so could have no sport. So I left
them, promising to return and take them out at night, and so to the
Excise Office, where a meeting was appointed of Sir Stephen Fox, the
Coffe