After that I wrote a letter to the Clerk of Dover Castle, to come to my
Lord about issuing of those writs. About ten o'clock Mr. Ibbott, at the
end of the long table, begun to pray and preach and indeed made a very
good sermon, upon the duty of all Christians to be stedfast in faith.
After that Captain Cuttance and I had oysters, my Lord being in his cabin
not intending to stir out to-day. After that up into the great cabin
above to dinner with the Captain, where was Captain Isham and all the
officers of the ship. I took place of all but the Captains; after dinner
I wrote a great many letters to my friends at London. After that, sermon
again, at which I slept, God forgive me! After that, it being a fair day,
I walked with the Captain upon the deck talking. At night I supped with
him and after that had orders from my Lord about some business to be done
against to-morrow, which I sat up late and did and then to bed.

26th. This day it is two years since it pleased God that I was cut of the
stone at Mrs. Turner's in Salisbury Court. And did resolve while I live
to keep it a festival, as I did the last year at my house, and for ever to
have Mrs. Turner and her company with me. But now it pleases God that I
am where I am and so prevented to do it openly; only within my soul I can
and do rejoice, and bless God, being at this time blessed be his holy
name, in as good health as ever I was in my life. This morning I rose
early, and went about making of an establishment of the whole Fleet, and a
list of all the ships, with the number of men and guns: About an hour
after that, we had a meeting of the principal commanders and seamen, to
proportion out the number of these things. After that to dinner, there
being very many commanders on board. All the afternoon very many orders
were made, till I was very weary. At night Mr. Sheply and W. Howe came
and brought some bottles of wine and some things to eat in my cabin, where
we were very merry, remembering the day of being cut for the stone.
Captain Cuttance came afterwards and sat drinking a bottle of wine till