so I to my office and did business, and so home to supper, and there find
my sister Michell

[The wife of Balthazar St. Michel, Mrs. Pepys's brother.--B. Leigh,
opposite to Sheerness.--R.]

come from Lee to see us; but do tattle so much of the late business of the
Dutch coming thither that I was weary of it. Yet it is worth remembering
what she says: that she hath heard both seamen and soldiers swear they
would rather serve the Dutch than the King, for they should be better
used.

[Reference has already been made to Andrew Marvell's "Instructions
to a Painter", in which the unpaid English sailors are described as
swimming to the Dutch ships, where they received the money which was
withheld from them on their own ships.]

She saw "The Royal Charles" brought into the river by them; and how they
shot off their great guns for joy, when they got her out of Chatham River.
I would not forget that this very day when we had nothing to do almost but
five merchantmen to man in the River, which have now been about it some
weeks, I was asked at Westminster, what the matter was that there was such
ado kept in pressing of men, as it seems there is thereabouts at this day.
So after supper we all to bed, my foot very well again, I thank God.

18th. Up and to the office, where busy all the morning, and most of our
time taken up with Carcasse upon some complaints brought in against him,
and many other petitions about tickets lost, which spends most of our
time. Home to dinner, and then to the office again, where very well
employed at the office till evening; and then being weary, took out my