month, for so many rooms for myself, them, and my wife and mayde, when she
shall come, and to pay besides for my dyett. After dinner I did give them
my accounts and letters to write against I went to the Duke of Albemarle's
this evening, which I did; and among other things, spoke to him for my
wife's brother, Balty, to be of his guard, which he kindly answered that
he should. My business of the Victualling goes on as I would have it; and
now my head is full how to make some profit of it to myself or people. To
that end, when I came home, I wrote a letter to Mr. Coventry, offering
myself to be the Surveyor Generall, and am apt to think he will assist me
in it, but I do not set my heart much on it, though it would be a good
helpe. So back to my office, and there till past one before I could get
all these letters and papers copied out, which vexed me, but so sent them
away without hopes of saving the post, and so to my lodging to bed.

20th. Up, and had my last night's letters brought back to me, which
troubles me, because of my accounts, lest they should be asked for before
they come, which I abhorr, being more ready to give than they can be to
demand them: so I sent away an expresse to Oxford with them, and another
to Portsmouth, with a copy of my letter to Mr. Coventry about my
victualling business, for fear he should be gone from Oxford, as he
intended, thither. So busy all the morning and at noon to Cocke, and
dined there. He and I alone, vexed that we are not rid of all our trouble
about our goods, but it is almost over, and in the afternoon to my
lodging, and there spent the whole afternoon and evening with Mr. Hater,
discoursing of the business of the office, where he tells me that among
others Thomas Willson do now and then seem to hint that I do take too much
business upon me, more than I can do, and that therefore some do lie
undone. This I confess to my trouble is true, but it arises from my being
forced to take so much on me, more than is my proper task to undertake.
But for this at last I did advise to him to take another clerk if he