[Edward Dering was granted, August, 1660, "the office of King's
merchant in the East, for buying and providing necessaries for
apparelling the Navy" ("Calendar," Domestic, 1660-61, p. 212).
There is evidence among the State Papers of some dissatisfaction
with the timber, &c., which he supplied to the Navy, and at this
time he appears to have had some stores left on his hands.]

so I was not so squeamish as not to take people's acknowledgment where I
had the good fortune by my pains to do them good and just offices, and so
I would not come to be at any agreement with him, but I would labour to do
him this service and to expect his consideration thereof afterwards as he
thought fit. So I expect to hear more of it. I did make very much of
Luellin in hopes to have some good by this business, and in the evening
received some money from Mr. Moore, and so went and settled accounts in my
books between him and me, and I do hope at Christmas not only to find
myself as rich or more than ever I was yet, but also my accounts in less
compass, fewer reckonings either of debts or moneys due to me, than ever I
have been for some years, and indeed do so, the goodness of God bringing
me from better to a better expectation and hopes of doing well. This day I
heard my Lord Barkeley tell Sir G. Carteret that he hath letters from
France that the King hath unduked twelve Dukes, only to show his power and
to crush his nobility, who he said he did see had heretofore laboured to
cross him. And this my Lord Barkeley did mightily magnify, as a sign of a
brave and vigorous mind, that what he saw fit to be done he dares do. At
night, after business done at my office, home to supper and to bed. I
have forgot to set down a very remarkable passage that, Lewellen being
gone, and I going into the office, and it begun to be dark, I found nobody
there, my clerks being at the burial of a child of W. Griffin's, and so I
spent a little time till they came, walking in the garden, and in the mean