and together with her a good while, to meet again shortly. So all the
afternoon at my office till late, and then to bed, joyed in my love and
ability to follow my business. This day, Mr. Lever sent my wife a pair of
silver candlesticks, very pretty ones. The first man that ever presented
me, to whom I have not only done little service, but apparently did him
the greatest disservice in his business of accounts, as Purser-Generall,
of any man at the board.

9th. Called up, as I had appointed, by H. Russell, between two and three
o'clock, and I and my boy Tom by water with a gally down to the Hope, it
being a fine starry night. Got thither by eight o'clock, and there, as
expected, found the Charles, her mainmast setting. Commissioner Pett
aboard. I up and down to see the ship I was so well acquainted with, and
a great worke it is, the setting so great a mast. Thence the Commissioner
and I on board Sir G. Ascue, in the Henery, who lacks men mightily, which
makes me think that there is more believed to be in a man that hath
heretofore been employed than truly there is; for one would never have
thought, a month ago, that he would have wanted 1000 men at his heels.
Nor do I think he hath much of a seaman in him: for he told me, says he,
"Heretofore, we used to find our ships clear and ready, everything to our
hands in the Downes. Now I come, and must look to see things done like a
slave, things that I never minded, nor cannot look after." And by his
discourse I find that he hath not minded anything in her at all. Thence
not staying, the wind blowing hard, I made use of the Jemmy yacht and
returned to the Tower in her, my boy being a very droll boy and good
company. Home and eat something, and then shifted myself, and to White
Hall, and there the King being in his Cabinet Council (I desiring to speak
with Sir G. Carteret), I was called in, and demanded by the King himself
many questions, to which I did give him full answers. There were at this
Council my Lord Chancellor, Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Treasurer, the