oks,
but Mr. Davis himself was not there, he having a kinswoman in the house
dead, for which, when by and by I saw him, he do trouble himself most
ridiculously, as if there was never another woman in the world; in which
so much laziness, as also in the Clerkes of the Cheque and Survey (which
after one another we did examine), as that I do not perceive that there
is one-third of their duties performed; but I perceive, to my great
content, Mr. Coventry will have things reformed. So Mr. Coventry to
London, and Pett and I to the Pay, where Sir Williams both were paying
off the Royal James still, and so to dinner, and to the Pay again, where
I did relieve several of my Lord Sandwich's people, but was sorry to see
them so peremptory, and at every word would, complain to my Lord, as if
they shall have such a command over my Lord. In the evening I went forth
and took a walk with Mr. Davis, and told him what had passed at his
office to-day, and did give him my advice, and so with the rest by barge
home and to bed

3rd. Up by four o'clock and to my office till 8 o'clock, writing over
two copies of our contract with Sir W. Rider, &c., for 500 ton of hempe,
which, because it is a secret, I have the trouble of writing over as
well as drawing. Then home to dress myself, and so to the office, where
another fray between Sir R. Ford and myself about his yarn, wherein
I find the board to yield on my side, and was glad thereof, though
troubled that the office should fall upon me of disobliging Sir Richard.
At noon we all by invitation dined at the Dolphin with the Officers
of the Ordnance; where Sir W. Compton, Mr. O'Neale,'and other great
persons, were, and a very great dinner, but I drank as I still do but my
allowance of wine. After dinner, was brought to Sir W. Compton a gun to
discharge seven times, the best of all devices that ever I saw, and
very serviceable, and not a bawble; for it is much approved of, and many
thereof made. Thence to my office all the afternoon as long as I could
see, about setting many businesses in order. In the evening came Mr.
Lewis to me, and very ingeniously did enquire whether I ever did look
into the business of the Chest at Chatham;

[Pepys gives some particulars about the Chest on November 13th,
1662. "The Chest at Chatham was originally planned by Sir Francis
Drake and Sir John Hawkins in 1588, after the defeat of the Armada;
the seamen voluntarily agreed to have 'defalked' out o