home, and my cozen, Mary Pepys's husband, comes after me, and told me that
out of the money he received some months since he did receive 18d. too
much, and did now come and give it me, which was very pretty. So home,
and there found Mr. Andrews and his lady, a well-bred and a tolerable
pretty woman, and by and by Mr. Hill and to singing, and then to supper,
then to sing again, and so good night. To prayers and tonight [bed]. It
is a little strange how these Psalms of Ravenscroft after 2 or 3 times
singing prove but the same again, though good. No diversity appearing at
all almost.

12th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten by coach to White Hall, where all of us
with the Duke; Mr. Coventry privately did tell me the reason of his advice
against our pretences to the Prize Office (in his letter from Portsmouth),
because he knew that the King and the Duke had resolved to put in some
Parliament men that have deserved well, and that would needs be obliged,
by putting them in. Thence homeward, called at my bookseller's and
bespoke some books against the year's out, and then to the 'Change, and so
home to dinner, and then to the office, where my Lord Brunkard comes and
reads over part of our Instructions in the Navy--and I expounded it to
him, so he is become my disciple. He gone, comes Cutler to tell us that
the King of France hath forbid any canvass to be carried out of his
kingdom, and I to examine went with him to the East India house to see a
letter, but came too late. So home again, and there late till 12 at night
at my office, and then home to supper and to bed. This day (to see how
things are ordered in the world), I had a command from the Earle of
Sandwich, at Portsmouth, not to be forward with Mr. Cholmly and Sir J.
Lawson about the Mole at Tangier, because that what I do therein will
(because of his friendship to me known) redound against him, as if I had
done it upon his score. So I wrote to my Lord my mistake, and am
contented to promise never to pursue it more, which goes against my mind