staid for us; my Lord and the Captain in one, and W. Howe and I, &c., in the other, to the Long Reach, where the Swiftsure lay at anchor; (in our way we saw the great breach which the late high water had made, to the loss of many L1000 to the people about Limehouse.) Soon as my Lord on board, the guns went off bravely from the ships.  And a little while after comes the Vice-Admiral Lawson, and seemed very respectful to my Lord, and so did the rest of the Commanders of the frigates that were thereabouts.  I to the cabin allotted for me, which was the best that any had that belonged to my Lord.  I got out some things out of my chest for writing and to work presently, Mr, Burr and I both.  I supped at the deck table with Mr. Sheply.  We were late writing of orders for the getting of ships ready, &c.; and also making of others to all the seaports between Hastings and Yarmouth, to stop all dangerous persons that are going or coming between Flanders and there.  After that to bed in my cabin, which was but short; however I made shift with it and slept very well, and the weather being good I was not sick at all yet, I know not what I shall be.

24th.  At work hard all the day writing letters to the Council, &c.  This day Mr. Creed came on:  board and dined very boldly with my Lord, but he could not get a bed there.  At night Capt.  Isham who had been at Gravesend all last night and to-day came and brought Mr. Lucy (one acquainted with Mrs. Pierce, with whom I had been at her house), I drank with him in the Captain’s cabin, but my business could not stay with him.  I despatch many letters to-day abroad and it was late before we could get to bed.  Mr. Sheply and Howe supped with me in my cabin.  The boy Eliezer flung down a can of beer upon my papers which made me give him a box of the ear, it having all spoiled my papers and cost me a great deal of work.  So to bed.

25th. (Lord’s day).  About two o’clock in the morning, letters came from London by our coxon, so they waked me, but I would not rise but bid him stay till morning, which he did, and then I rose and carried them in to my Lord, who read them a-bed.  Among the rest, there was the writ and mandate for him to dispose to the Cinque Ports for choice of Parliament-men.  There was also one for me from Mr. Blackburne, who with his own hand superscribes it to S.P.  Esq., of which God knows I was not a little proud.  After that I wrote a letter to the Clerk of Dover Castle, to come to my Lord about issuing of those writs.  About ten o’clock Mr. Ibbott, at the end of the long table, begun to pray and preach and indeed made a very good sermon, upon the duty of all Christians to be stedfast in faith.  After that Captain Cuttance and I had oysters, my Lord being in his cabin not intending to stir out to-day.  After that up into the great cabin above to dinner with the Captain, where was Captain Isham and all the officers of the ship.  I took place of all but the Captains; after dinner I wrote a great many letters to my friends at London.  After that, sermon again, at which I slept, God forgive me!  After that, it being a fair day, I walked with the Captain upon the deck talking.  At night I supped with him and after that had orders from my Lord about some business to be done against to-morrow, which I sat up late and did and then to bed.