Your Lordship's most obedient Servant, S. P.

November 17, 1663.

My servant hath my directions to put this into your Lordship's owne
hand, but not to stay for any answer.

19th. Up, and to the office, where (Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten
being gone this morning to Portsmouth) the rest of us met, and rode at
noon. So I to the 'Change, where little business, and so home to dinner,
and being at dinner Mr. Creed in and dined with us, and after dinner Mr.
Gentleman, my Jane's father, to see us and her. And after a little stay
with them, I was sent for by Sir G. Carteret by agreement, and so
left them, and to him and with him by coach to my Lord Treasurer, to
discourse with him about Mr. Gauden's having of money, and to offer to
him whether it would not be necessary, Mr. Gauden's credit being so low
as it is, to take security of him if he demands any great sum, such
as L20,000, which now ought to be paid him upon his next year's
declaration. Which is a sad thing, that being reduced to this by us, we
should be the first to doubt his credit; but so it is. However, it will
be managed with great tenderness to him. My Lord Treasurer we found in
his bed-chamber, being laid up of the goute. I find him a very ready
man, and certainly a brave servant to the King: he spoke so quick and
sensibly of the King's charge. Nothing displeased me in him but his long
nails, which he lets grow upon a pretty thick white short hand, that it
troubled me to see them. Thence with Sir G. Carteret by coach, and he
set me down at the New Exchange. In our way he told me there is no such
thing likely yet as a Dutch war, neither they nor we being in condition
for it, though it will come certainly to that in some time, our
interests lying the same way, that is to say, in trade. But not yet.
Thence to the Temple, and there visited my cozen Roger Pepys and his
brother Dr. John, a couple, methinks, of very ordinary men, and thence
to speak [with] Mr. Moore, and met him by the way, who tells me, to
my great content, that he believes my letter to my Lord Sandwich hath
wrought well upon him, and that he will look after himself and his
business upon it, for he begins already to do so. But I dare not
conclude anything till I see him, which shall be to-morrow morning, that
I may be out of my pain to know how he takes it of me. He and I to the
Coffee-house, and there drank and talked a little, and so I home, and
after a little at my office home to