be, I am sure, without Sir G. Carteret’s accounts be better understood than they are.  He seems to have a great esteem of me and my opinion and thoughts of things.  After we had spent an houre thus discoursing and vexed that we do but grope so in the darke as we do, because the people, that should enlighten us, do not helpe us, we resolved fitting some things for another meeting, and so broke up.  He shewed me his house, which is yet all unhung, but will be a very noble house indeed.  Thence by coach calling at my bookseller’s and carried home L10 worth of books, all, I hope, I shall buy a great while.  There by appointment find Mr. Hill come to sup and take his last leave of me, and by and by in comes Mr. James Houbland to bear us company, a man I love mightily, and will not lose his acquaintance.  He told me in my eare this night what he and his brothers have resolved to give me, which is L200, for helping them out with two or three ships.  A good sum and that which I did believe they would give me, and I did expect little less.  Here we talked and very good company till late, and then took leave of one another, and indeed I am heartily sorry for Mr. Hill’s leaving us, for he is a very worthy gentleman, as most I know.  God give him a good voyage and successe in his business.  Thus we parted and my wife and I to bed, heavy for the losse of our friend.

3rd.  All the morning at the office, at noon to the Old James, being sent for, and there dined with Sir William Rider, Cutler, and others, to make an end with two Scots Maisters about the freight of two ships of my Lord Rutherford’s.  After a small dinner and a little discourse I away to the Crowne behind the Exchange to Sir W. Pen, Captain Cocke and Fen, about getting a bill of Cocke’s paid to Pen, in part for the East India goods he sold us.  Here Sir W. Pen did give me the reason in my eare of his importunity for money, for that he is now to marry his daughter.  God send her better fortune than her father deserves I should wish him for a false rogue.  Thence by coach to Hales’s, and there saw my wife sit; and I do like her picture mightily, and very like it will be, and a brave piece of work.  But he do complain that her nose hath cost him as much work as another’s face, and he hath done it finely indeed.  Thence home and late at the office, and then to bed.

4th (Lord’s day).  And all day at my Tangier and private accounts, having neglected them since Christmas, which I hope I shall never do again; for I find the inconvenience of it, it being ten times the labour to remember and settle things.  But I thank God I did it at last, and brought them all fine and right; and I am, I thinke, by all appears to me (and I am sure I cannot be L10 wrong), worth above L4600, for which the Lord be praised! being the biggest sum I ever was worth yet.