the business of the child, or anything like it:
so that forasmuch as I could guess, there is nothing
therein to my brother’s prejudice as to the main
point, and therefore I did not labour to tear or take
away the paper. Cave being released, demands
L5 more to secure my brother for ever against the child;
and he was forced to give it him and took bond of
Cave in L100, made at a scrivener’s, one Hudson,
I think, in the Old Bayly, to secure John Taylor,
and his assigns, &c. (in consideration of L10 paid
him), from all trouble, or charge of meat, drink,
clothes, and breeding of Elizabeth Taylor; and it
seems, in the doing of it, J. Noble was looked upon
as the assignee of this John Taylor. Noble says
that he furnished Tom with this money, and is also
bound by another bond to pay him 20s. more this next
Easter Monday; but nothing for either sum appears under
Tom’s hand. I told him how I am like to
lose a great sum by his death, and would not pay any
more myself, but I would speake to my father about
it against the afternoon. So away he went, and
I all the morning in my office busy, and at noon home
to dinner mightily oppressed with wind, and after dinner
took coach and to Paternoster Row, and there bought
a pretty silke for a petticoate for my wife, and thence
set her down at the New Exchange, and I leaving the
coat at Unthanke’s, went to White Hall, but the
Councell meeting at Worcester House I went thither,
and there delivered to the Duke of Albemarle a paper
touching some Tangier business, and thence to the
’Change for my wife, and walked to my father’s,
who was packing up some things for the country.
I took him up and told him this business of Tom,
at which the poor wretch was much troubled, and desired
me that I would speak with J. Noble, and do what I
could and thought fit in it without concerning him
in it. So I went to Noble, and saw the bond that
Cave did give and also Tom’s letter that I mentioned
above, and upon the whole I think some shame may come,
but that it will be hard from any thing I see there
to prove the child to be his. Thence to my father
and told what I had done, and how I had quieted Noble
by telling him that, though we are resolved to part
with no more money out of our own purses, yet if he
can make it appear a true debt that it may be justifiable
for us to pay it, we will do our part to get it paid,
and said that I would have it paid before my own debt.
So my father and I both a little satisfied, though
vexed to think what a rogue my brother was in all
respects. I took my wife by coach home, and
to my office, where late with Sir W. Warren, and so
home to supper and to bed. I heard to-day that
the Dutch have begun with us by granting letters of
marke against us; but I believe it not.