the rule and custom of the Company in choosing their Masters by
succession, he would have brought in Sir W. Rider or Sir W. Pen, over the
head of Hurleston (who is a knave too besides, I believe), the younger
brothers did all oppose it against the elder, and with great heat did
carry it for Hurleston, which I know will vex him to the heart. Thence,
the election being over, to church, where an idle sermon from that
conceited fellow, Dr. Britton, saving that his advice to unity, and laying
aside all envy and enmity among them was very apposite. Thence walked to
Redriffe, and so to the Trinity House, and a great dinner, as is usual,
and so to my office, where busy all the afternoon till late, and then home
to bed, being much troubled in mind for several things, first, for the
condition of the fleete for lacke of provisions, the blame this office
lies under and the shame that they deserve to have brought upon them for
the ships not being gone out of the River, and then for my business of
Tangier which is not settled, and lastly for fear that I am not observed
to have attended the office business of late as much as I ought to do,
though there has been nothing but my attendance on Tangier that has
occasioned my absence, and that of late not much.

23rd. Up, and at the office busy all the morning. At noon dined alone,
my wife and mother being gone by invitation to dine with my mother's old
servant Mr. Cordery, who made them very welcome. So to Mr. Povy's, where
after a little discourse about his business I home again, and late at the
office busy. Late comes Sir Arthur Ingram to my office, to tell me that,
by letters from Amsterdam of the 28th of this month (their style),

[The new style was adopted by most of the countries of Europe long
before it was legalized in England, although Russia still retains
the old style.]