We walked to church with him, and then I left them without staying the
sermon and straight home by water, and there find, as I expected, Mr.
Hill, and Andrews, and one slovenly and ugly fellow, Seignor Pedro, who
sings Italian songs to the theorbo most neatly, and they spent the whole
evening in singing the best piece of musique counted of all hands in the
world, made by Seignor Charissimi, the famous master in Rome. Fine it
was, indeed, and too fine for me to judge of. They have spoke to Pedro to
meet us every weeke, and I fear it will grow a trouble to me if we once
come to bid judges to meet us, especially idle Masters, which do a little
displease me to consider. They gone comes Mr. Lanyon, who tells me Mr.
Alsopp is now become dangerously ill, and fears his recovery, covery,
which shakes my expectation of L630 per annum by the business; and,
therefore, bless God for what Mr. Gauden hath sent me, which, from some
discourse to-day with Mr. Osborne, swearing that he knows not any thing of
this business of the victualling; but, the contrary, that it is not that
moves Mr. Gauden to send it me, for he hath had order for it any time
these two months. Whether this be true or no, I know not; but I shall
hence with the more confidence keepe it. To supper and to the office a
little, and to walk in the garden, the moon shining bright, and fine warm
fair weather, and so home to bed.

23rd. Up, and all the morning at the office. At noon to the 'Change,
where I took occasion to break the business of my Lord Chancellor's timber
to Mr. Coventry in the best manner I could. He professed to me, that,
till, Sir G. Carteret did speake of it at the table, after our officers
were gone to survey it, he did not know that my Lord Chancellor had any
thing to do with it; but now he says that he had been told by the Duke
that Sir G. Carteret had spoke to him about it, and that he had told the
Duke that, were he in my Lord Chancellor's case, if he were his father, he
would rather fling away the gains of two or L3,000, than have it said that