21st.  Up, and to the office, where much business and Sir W. Coventry there, who of late hath wholly left us, most of our business being about money, to which we can give no answer, which makes him weary of coming to us.  He made an experiment to-day, by taking up a heape of petitions that lay upon the table.  They proved seventeen in number, and found them thus:  one for money for reparation for clothes, four desired to have tickets made out to them, and the other twelve were for money.  Dined at home, and sister Balty with us.  My wife snappish because I denied her money to lay out this afternoon; however, good friends again, and by coach set them down at the New Exchange, and I to the Exchequer, and there find my business of my tallys in good forwardness.  I passed down into the Hall, and there hear that Mr. Bowles, the grocer, after 4 or 5 days’ sickness, is dead, and this day buried.  So away, and taking up my wife, went homewards.  I ’light and with Harman to my mercer’s in Lumbard Streete, and there agreed for, our purple serge for my closett, and so I away home.  So home and late at the office, and then home, and there found Mr. Batelier and his sister Mary, and we sat chatting a great while, talking of witches and spirits, and he told me of his own knowledge, being with some others at Bourdeaux, making a bargain with another man at a taverne for some clarets, they did hire a fellow to thunder (which he had the art of doing upon a deale board) and to rain and hail, that is, make the noise of, so as did give them a pretence of undervaluing their merchants’ wines, by saying this thunder would spoil and turne them.  Which was so reasonable to the merchant, that he did abate two pistolls per ton for the wine in belief of that, whereas, going out, there was no such thing.  This Batelier did see and was the cause of to his profit, as is above said.  By and by broke up and to bed.

22nd.  Up and by coach with L100 to the Exchequer to pay fees there.  There left it, and I to St. James’s, and there with; the Duke of Yorke.  I had opportunity of much talk with Sir.  W. Pen to-day (he being newly come from the fleete); and he, do much undervalue the honour that is given to the conduct of the late business of Holmes in burning the ships and town

[The town burned (see August 15th, ante) was Brandaris, a place of 1000 houses, on the isle of Schelling; the ships lay between that island and the Fly (i.e.  Vlieland), the adjoining island.  This attack probably provoked that by the Dutch on Chatham.]

saying it was a great thing indeed, and of great profit to us in being of great losse to the enemy, but that it was wholly a business of chance, and no conduct employed in it.  I find Sir W. Pen do hold up his head at this time higher than ever he did in his life.  I perceive he do look after Sir J. Minnes’s place if he dies, and though I love him not nor do desire to have him in, yet I do think [he] is the