27th. Up, and after some pleasant discourse with my wife, I out, leaving
her and Mrs. Ferrers there, and I to Captain Cocke's, there to do some
business, and then away with Cocke in his coach through Kent Streete, a
miserable, wretched, poor place, people sitting sicke and muffled up with
plasters at every 4 or 5 doors. So to the 'Change, and thence I by water
to the Duke of Albemarle's, and there much company, but I staid and dined,
and he makes mighty much of me; and here he tells us the Dutch are gone,
and have lost above 160 cables and anchors, through the last foule
weather. Here he proposed to me from Mr. Coventry, as I had desired of
Mr. Coventry, that I should be Surveyor-Generall of the Victualling
business, which I accepted. But, indeed, the terms in which Mr. Coventry
proposes it for me are the most obliging that ever I could expect from any
man, and more; it saying me to be the fittest man in England, and that he
is sure, if I will undertake, I will perform it; and that it will be also
a very desirable thing that I might have this encouragement, my
encouragement in the Navy alone being in no wise proportionable to my
pains or deserts. This, added to the letter I had three days since from
Mr. Southerne, signifying that the Duke of Yorke had in his master's
absence opened my letter, and commanded him to tell me that he did approve
of my being the Surveyor-General, do make me joyful beyond myself that I
cannot express it, to see that as I do take pains, so God blesses me, and
hath sent me masters that do observe that I take pains. After having done
here, I back by water and to London, and there met with Captain Cocke's
coach again, and I went in it to Greenwich and thence sent my wife in it
to Woolwich, and I to the office, and thence home late with Captain
Taylor, and he and I settled all accounts between us, and I do find that I
do get above L129 of him for my services for him within these six months.
At it till almost one in the morning, and after supper he away and I to
bed, mightily satisfied in all this, and in a resolution I have taken
to-night with Mr. Hater to propose the port of London for the victualling