.
Shelden's, with which my wife is most extraordinary pleased, and one of
them is promised her. Anon I took my leave, and away by water to the Duke
of Albemarle's, where he tells me that I must be at Hampton Court anon.
So I home to look over my Tangier papers, and having a coach of Mr. Povy's
attending me, by appointment, in order to my coming to dine at his country
house at Brainford, where he and his family is, I went and Mr. Tasbrough
with me therein, it being a pretty chariot, but most inconvenient as to
the horses throwing dust and dirt into one's eyes and upon one's clothes.
There I staid a quarter of an houre, Creed being there, and being able to
do little business (but the less the better). Creed rode before, and Mr.
Povy and I after him in the chariot; and I was set down by him at the
Parke pale, where one of his saddle horses was ready for me, he himself
not daring to come into the house or be seen, because that a servant of
his, out of his horse, happened to be sicke, but is not yet dead, but was
never suffered to come into his house after he was ill. But this
opportunity was taken to injure Povy, and most horribly he is abused by
some persons hereupon, and his fortune, I believe, quite broke; but that
he hath a good heart to bear, or a cunning one to conceal his evil. There
I met with Sir W. Coventry, and by and by was heard by my Lord Chancellor
and Treasurer about our Tangier money, and my Lord Treasurer had ordered
me to forbear meddling with the L15,000 he offered me the other day, but,
upon opening the case to them, they did offer it again, and so I think I
shall have it, but my Lord General must give his consent in it, this money
having been promised to him, and he very angry at the proposal. Here
though I have not been in many years, yet I lacke time to stay, besides
that it is, I perceive, an unpleasing thing to be at Court, everybody
being fearful one of another, and all so sad, enquiring after the plague,
so that I stole away by my horse to Kingston, and there with trouble was
forced, to press two sturdy rogues to carry me to London, and met at the
waterside with Mr. Charnocke, Sir Philip Warwicke's clerke, who had been
in company and was quite foxed. I took him with me in my boat, and so away
to Richmond, and there, by night, walked with him to Moreclacke, a very
pretty walk, and there staid a good while, now and then talking and
sporting with Nan the servant, who says she is a seaman's wife, an