the ingenuity to take my advice as he ought kindly. But however I am
satisfied that the one person whom he said he would take leave to except
is not Mr. Moore, and so W. Howe I am sure could tell him nothing of my
letter that ever he saw it. Here Mr. Moore and I parted, and I up to the
Speaker's chamber, and there met Mr. Coventry by appointment to discourse
about Field's business, and thence we parting I homewards and called at
the Coffeehouse, and there by great accident hear that a letter is come
that our ship is safe come to Newcastle. With this news I went like an
asse presently to Alderman Backewell and, told him of it, and he and I
went to the African House in Broad Street to have spoke with Sir W. Rider
to tell him of it, but missed him. Now what an opportunity had I to have
concealed this and seemed to have made an insurance and got L100 with the
least trouble and danger in the whole world. This troubles me to think I
should be so oversoon. So back again with Alderman Backewell talking of
the new money, which he says will never be counterfeited, he believes; but
it is deadly inconvenient for telling, it is so thick, and the edges are
made to turn up. I found him as full of business, and, to speak the
truth, he is a very painfull man, and ever was, and now-a-days is well
paid for it. So home and to my office, doing business late in order to
the getting a little money, and so home to supper and to bed.

24th. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon to
the 'Change, where everybody joyed me in our hemp ship's coming safe, and
it seems one man, Middleburgh, did give 20 per cent. in gold last night,
three or four minutes before the newes came of her being safe. Thence
with Mr. Deane home and dined, and after dinner and a good deal of
discourse of the business of Woolwich Yard, we opened his draught of a
ship which he has made for me, and indeed it is a most excellent one and
that that I hope will be of good use to me as soon as I get a little time,
and much indebted I am to the poor man. Toward night I by coach to