19th. All the morning at the office, and without dinner down by galley up
and down the river to visit the yards and ships now ordered forth with
great delight, and so home to supper, and then to office late to write
letters, then home to bed.

20th (Lord's day). Up, and with my wife to church, where Pegg Pen very
fine in her new coloured silk suit laced with silver lace. Dined at home,
and Mr. Sheply, lately come to town, with me. A great deal of ordinary
discourse with him. Among other things praying him to speak to Stankes to
look after our business. With him and in private with Mr. Bodham talking
of our ropeyarde stores at Woolwich, which are mighty low, even to
admiration. They gone, in the evening comes Mr. Andrews and sings with
us, and he gone, I to Sir W. Batten's, where Sir J. Minnes and he and I to
talk about our letter to my Lord Treasurer, where his folly and simple
confidence so great in a report so ridiculous that he hath drawn up to
present to my Lord, nothing of it being true, that I was ashamed, and did
roundly and in many words for an houre together talk boldly to him, which
pleased Sir W. Batten and my Lady, but I was in the right, and was the
willinger to do so before them, that they might see that I am somebody,
and shall serve him so in his way another time. So home vexed at this
night's passage, for I had been very hot with him, so to supper and to
bed, out of order with this night's vexation.

21st. Up, and with them to the Lords at White Hall, where they do single
me out to speake to and to hear, much to my content, and received their
commands, particularly in several businesses. Thence by their order to
the Attorney General's about a new warrant for Captain Taylor which I
shall carry for him to be Commissioner in spite of Sir W. Batten, and yet
indeed it is not I, but the ability of the man, that makes the Duke and
Mr. Coventry stand by their choice. I to the 'Change and there staid long