ith Madam
Castlemaine and Mrs. Stewart, which God of Heaven put an end to! Myself
very studious to learn what I can of all things necessary for my place
as an officer of the Navy, reading lately what concerns measuring of
timber and knowledge of the tides. I have of late spent much time with
Creed, being led to it by his business of his accounts, but I find him
a fellow of those designs and tricks, that there is no degree of true
friendship to be made with him, and therefore I must cast him off,
though he be a very understanding man, and one that much may be learned
of as to cunning and judging of other men. Besides, too, I do perceive
more and more that my time of pleasure and idleness of any sort must
be flung off to attend to getting of some money and the keeping of my
family in order, which I fear by my wife's liberty may be otherwise
lost.

JULY 1663

July 1st. This morning it rained so hard (though it was fair yesterday,
and we thereupon in hopes of having some fair weather, which we have
wanted these three months) that it wakened Creed, who lay with me last
night, and me, and so we up and fell to discourse of the business of
his accounts now under dispute, in which I have taken much trouble upon
myself and raised a distance between Sir G. Carteret and myself, which
troubles me, but I hope we have this morning light on an expedient that
will right all, that will answer their queries, and yet save Creed the
L500 which he did propose to make of the exchange abroad of the pieces
of eight which he disbursed. Being ready, he and I by water to White
Hall, where I left him before we came into the Court, for fear I should
be seen by Sir G. Carteret with him, which of late I have been forced
to avoid to remove suspicion. I to St. James's, and there discoursed
a while with Mr. Coventry, between whom and myself there is very good
understanding and friendship, and so to Westminster Hall, and being
in the Parliament lobby, I there saw my Lord of Bristoll come to the
Commons House to give his answer to their question, about some words he
should tell the King that were spoke by Sir Richard Temple, a member of
their House. A chair was set at the bar of the House for him, which he
used but little, but made an harangue of half an hour bareheaded, the
House covered. His speech being done, he came out and withdrew into a
little room till the House had concluded of an answer to his speech;
which they staying long upon, I went