13th (Lord’s day).  This morning to church, where mighty sport, to hear our clerke sing out of tune, though his master sits by him that begins and keeps the tune aloud for the parish.  Dined at home very well, and spent all the afternoon with my wife within doors, and getting a speech out of Hamlett, “To bee or not to bee,"’ without book.  In the evening to sing psalms, and in come Mr. Hill to see me, and then he and I and the boy finely to sing, and so anon broke up after much pleasure, he gone I to supper, and so prayers and to bed.

14th.  Up, and with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, to the Lords of the Admiralty, and there did our business betimes.  Thence to Sir Philip Warwicke about Navy business:  and my Lord Ashly; and afterwards to my Lord Chancellor, who is very well pleased with me, and my carrying of his business.  And so to the ’Change, where mighty busy; and so home to dinner, where Mr. Creed and Moore:  and after dinner I to my Lord Treasurer’s, to Sir Philip Warwicke there, and then to White Hall, to the Duke of Albemarle, about Tangier; and then homeward to the Coffee-house to hear newes.  And it seems the Dutch, as I afterwards found by Mr. Coventry’s letters, have stopped a ship of masts of Sir W. Warren’s, coming for us in a Swede’s ship, which they will not release upon Sir G. Downing’s claiming her:  which appears as the first act of hostility; and is looked upon as so by Mr. Coventry.  The Elias,’ coming from New England (Captain Hill, commander), is sunk; only the captain and a few men saved.  She foundered in the sea.  So home, where infinite busy till 12 at night, and so home to supper and to bed.

15th.  That I might not be too fine for the business I intend this day, I did leave off my fine new cloth suit lined with plush and put on my poor black suit, and after office done (where much business, but little done), I to the ’Change, and thence Bagwell’s wife with much ado followed me through Moorfields to a blind alehouse, and there I did caress her and eat and drink, and many hard looks and sooth the poor wretch did give me, and I think verily was troubled at what I did, but at last after many protestings by degrees I did arrive at what I would, with great pleasure, and then in the evening, it raining, walked into town to where she knew where she was, and then I took coach and to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier, where, and every where else, I thank God, I find myself growing in repute; and so home, and late, very late, at business, nobody minding it but myself, and so home to bed, weary and full of thoughts.  Businesses grow high between the Dutch and us on every side.

16th.  My wife not being well, waked in the night, and strange to see how dead sleep our people sleep that she was fain to ring an hour before any body would wake.  At last one rose and helped my wife, and so to sleep again.  Up and to my business, and then to White Hall, there to attend the Lords Commissioners, and so directly home and dined with Sir W. Batten and my Lady, and after dinner had much discourse tending to profit with Sir W. Batten, how to get ourselves into the prize office