22nd. At the office all the morning, and there come news from Hogg that
our shipp hath brought in a Lubecker to Portsmouth, likely to prove prize,
of deals, which joys us. At noon home to dinner, and then Sir W. Pen, Sir
R. Ford, and I met at Sir W. Batten's to examine our papers, and have
great hopes to prove her prize, and Sir R. Ford I find a mighty
yare--[Quick or ready, a naval term frequently used by Shakespeare.]--man
in this business, making exceeding good observations from the papers on
our behalf. Hereupon concluded what to write to Hogg and Middleton, which
I did, and also with Mr. Oviatt (Sir R. Ford's son, who is to be our
solicitor), to fee some counsel in the Admiralty, but none in town. So
home again, and after writing letters by the post, I with all my clerks
and Carcasse and Whitfield to the ticket-office, there to be informed in
the method and disorder of the office, which I find infinite great, of
infinite concernment to be mended, and did spend till 12 at night to my
great satisfaction, it being a point of our office I was wholly
unacquainted in. So with great content home and to bed.

23rd (Lord's day). Up and alone to church, and meeting Nan Wright at the
gate had opportunity to take two or three 'baisers', and so to church,
where a vain fellow with a periwigg preached, Chaplain, as by his prayer
appeared, to the Earl of Carlisle? Home, and there dined with us Betty
Michell and her husband. After dinner to White Hall by coach, and took
them with me. And in the way I would have taken 'su main' as I did the
last time, but she did in a manner withhold it. So set them down at White
Hall, and I to the Chapel to find Dr. Gibbons, and from him to the Harp
and Ball to transcribe the treble which I would have him to set a bass to.
But this took me so much time, and it growing night, I was fearful of
missing a coach, and therefore took a coach and to rights to call Michell
and his wife at their father Howlett's, and so home, it being cold, and