y well when it is quite varnished. Thence home and to study my new
rule till my head aked cruelly. So by and by to dinner and the Doctor
and Mr. Creed came to me. The Doctor's discourse, which (though he be
a very good-natured man) is but simple, was some sport to me and Creed,
though my head akeing I took no great pleasure in it. We parted after
dinner, and I walked to Deptford and there found Sir W. Pen, and I fell
to measuring of some planks that was serving into the yard, which the
people took notice of, and the measurer himself was amused at, for I
did it much more ready than he, and I believe Sir W. Pen would be glad
I could have done less or he more. By and by he went away and I staid
walking up and down, discoursing with the officers of the yard of
several things, and so walked back again, and on my way young Bagwell
and his wife waylayd me to desire my favour about getting him a better
ship, which I shall pretend to be willing to do for them, but my mind is
to know his wife a little better. They being parted I went with Cadbury
the mast maker to view a parcel of good masts which I think it were
good to buy, and resolve to speak to the board about it. So home, and
my brother John and I up and I to my musique, and then to discourse
with him, and I find him not so thorough a philosopher, at least
in Aristotle, as I took him for, he not being able to tell me the
definition of final nor which of the 4 Qualitys belonged to each of the
4 Elements. So to prayers, and to bed, among other things being much
satisfied with my new rule.

8th. Up and to my office, whither I search for Brown the mathematical
instrument maker, who now brought me a ruler for measuring timber and
other things so well done and in all things to my mind that I do set up
my trust upon it that I cannot have a better, nor any man else have so
good for this purpose, this being of my own ordering. By and by we sat
all the morning dispatching of business, and then at noon rose, and I
with Mr. Coventry down to the water-side, talking, wherein I see so much
goodness and endeavours of doing the King service, that I do more and
more admire him. It being the greatest trouble to me, he says, in the
world to see not only in the Navy, but in the greatest matters of State,
where he can lay his finger upon the soare (meaning this man's faults,
and this man's office the fault lies in), and yet dare or can not remedy
matters. Thence to the Exchange about several busi