Robinson; the last of whom continues still the same foole he was, crying up what power he has in the City, in knowing their temper, and being able to do what he will with them.  It seems the City did last night very freely lend the King L100,000 without any security but the King’s word, which was very noble.  But this loggerhead and Sir R. Ford would make us believe that they did it.  Now Sir R. Ford is a cunning man, and makes a foole of the other, and the other believes whatever the other tells him.  But, Lord! to think that such a man should be Lieutenant of the Tower, and so great a man as he is, is a strange thing to me.  With them late and then home and with my wife to bed, after supper.

27th.  Up and to the office, where all the morning busy.  At noon, Sir G. Carteret, Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, Sir W. Pen, and myself, were treated at the Dolphin by Mr. Foly, the ironmonger, where a good plain dinner, but I expected musique, the missing of which spoiled my dinner, only very good merry discourse at dinner.  Thence with Sir G. Carteret by coach to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier, and thence back to London, and ’light in Cheapside and I to Nellson’s, and there met with a rub at first, but took him out to drink, and there discoursed to my great content so far with him that I think I shall agree with him for Bewpers to serve the Navy with.  So with great content home and to my office, where late, and having got a great cold in my head yesterday home to supper and to bed.

28th.  Slept ill all night, having got a very great cold the other day at Woolwich in [my] head, which makes me full of snot.  Up in the morning, and my tailor brings me home my fine, new, coloured cloth suit, my cloake lined with plush, as good a suit as ever I wore in my life, and mighty neat, to my great content.  To my office, and there all the morning.  At noon to Nellson’s, and there bought 20 pieces more of Bewpers, and hope to go on with him to a contract.  Thence to the ’Change a little, and thence home with Luellin to dinner, where Mr. Deane met me by appointment, and after dinner he and I up to my chamber, and there hard at discourse, and advising him what to do in his business at Harwich, and then to discourse of our old business of ships and taking new rules of him to my great pleasure, and he being gone I to my office a little, and then to see Sir W. Batten, who is sick of a greater cold than I, and thither comes to me Mr. Holliard, and into the chamber to me, and, poor man (beyond all I ever saw of him), was a little drunk, and there sat talking and finding acquaintance with Sir W. Batten and my Lady by relations on both sides, that there we staid very long.  At last broke up, and he home much overcome with drink, but well enough to get well home.  So I home to supper and to bed.