[A shoal in the North Sea, off the Thames mouth, outside the Long Sand, fifteen miles N.N.E. of the North Foreland.  It measures seven miles north-eastward, and about two miles in breadth.  It is partly dry at low water.  A revolving light was set up in 1840.]

which put them in great fear for the ship; but got off well.  He told me also how the King had knighted Vice-Admiral Lawson and Sir Richard Stayner.  From him late and by coach home, where the plasterers being at work in all the rooms in my house, my wife was fain to make a bed upon the ground for her and me, and so there we lay all night.

26th.  Office day.  That done to the church, to consult about our gallery.  So home to dinner, where I found Mrs. Hunt, who brought me a letter for me to get my Lord to sign for her husband, which I shall do for her.  At home with the workmen all the afternoon, our house being in a most sad pickle.  In the evening to the office, where I fell a-reading of Speed’s Geography for a while.  So home thinking to have found Will at home, but he not being come home but gone somewhere else I was very angry, and when he came did give him a very great check for it, and so I went to bed.

27th.  To my Lord at Mr. Crew’s, and there took order about some business of his, and from thence home to my workmen all the afternoon.  In the evening to my Lord’s, and there did read over with him and Dr. Walker my lord’s new commission for sea, and advised thereupon how to have it drawn.  So home and to bed.

28th (Office day).  This morning Sir W. Batten and Col.  Slingsby went with Col.  Birch and Sir Wm. Doyly to Chatham to pay off a ship there.  So only Sir W. Pen and I left here in town.  All the afternoon among my workmen till 10 or 11 at night, and did give them drink and very merry with them, it being my luck to meet with a sort of drolling workmen on all occasions.  To bed.

29th.  All day at home to make an end of our dirty work of the plasterers, and indeed my kitchen is now so handsome that I did not repent of all the trouble that I have been put to, to have it done.  This day or yesterday, I hear, Prince Rupert

[This is the first mention in the Diary of this famous prince, third son of Frederick, Prince Palatine of the Rhine, and Elizabeth, daughter of James I., born December 17th, 1619.  He died at his house in Spring Gardens, November 29th, 1682.]

is come to Court; but welcome to nobody.

30th (Lord’s day).  To our Parish church both forenoon and afternoon all alone.  At night went to bed without prayers, my house being every where foul above stairs.

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