a sickly man, and did not intend to execute the place
himself, which put me in great comfort again. Till 2 in the morning
writing letters and things for my Lord to send to sea. So home to my
wife to bed.

4th. Up very early in the morning and landing my wife at White Friars
stairs, I went to the Bridge and so to the Treasurer's of the Navy, with
whom I spake about the business of my office, who put me into very good
hopes of my business. At his house comes Commissioner Pett, and he and I
went to view the houses in Seething Lane, belonging to the Navy,

[The Navy Office was erected on the site of Lumley House, formerly
belonging to the Fratres Sancta Crucis (or Crutched Friars), and all
business connected with naval concerns was transacted there till its
removal to Somerset House.--The ground was afterwards occupied by
the East India Company's warehouses. The civil business of the
Admiralty was removed from Somerset House to Spring Gardens in
1869.]

where I find the worst very good, and had great fears in my mind that
they will shuffle me out of them, which troubles me. From thence to the
Excise Office in Broad Street, where I received L500 for my Lord, by
appointment of the Treasurer, and went afterwards down with Mr. Luddyard
and drank my morning draft with him and other officers. Thence to Mr.
Backewell's, the goldsmith, where I took my Lord's L100 in plate for Mr.
Secretary Nicholas, and my own piece of plate, being a state dish and
cup in chased work for Mr. Coventry, cost me above L19. Carried these
and the money by coach to my Lord's at White Hall, and from thence
carried Nicholas's plate to his house and left it there, intending
to speak with him anon. So to Westminster Hall, where meeting with M.
L'Impertinent and W. Bowyer, I took them to the Sun Tavern, and gave
them a lobster and some wine, and sat talking like a fool till 4
o'clock. So to my Lord's, and walking all the afternoon in White Hall
Court, in expectation of what shall be done in the Council as to our
business. It was strange to see how all the people flocked together
bare, to see the King looking out of the Council window. At night my
Lord told me how my orders that I drew last night about giving us power
to act, are granted by the Council. At which he and I were very glad.
Home and to bed, my boy lying in my house this night the first time.

5th. This morning my brother Tom brought me my jackanapes coat with