servant, is come to town, and hath this day suffered
a recovery on his estate, in order to the making her
a settlement. The young man is gone out of the
Hall, so I could not now see him, but here I walked
a good while with my cozen, and among other things
do hear that there is a great triall between my Lord
Gerard and Carr to-day, who is indicted for his life
at the King’s Bench, for running from his colours;
but all do say that my Lord Gerard, though he designs
the ruining of this man, will not get any thing by
it. Thence to the Commissioners of Accounts,
and there presented my books, and was made to sit
down, and used with much respect, otherwise than the
other day, when I come to them as a criminal about
the business of the prizes. I sat here with
them a great while, while my books were inventoried.
And here do hear from them by discourse that they
are like to undo the Treasurer’s instruments
of the Navy by making it a rule that they shall repay
all money paid to wrong parties, which is a thing
not to be supported by these poor creatures the Treasurer’s
instruments, as it is also hard for seamen to be ruined
by their paying money to whom they please. I
know not what will be the issue of it. I find
these gentlemen to sit all day, and only eat a bit
of bread at noon, and a glass of wine; and are resolved
to go through their business with great severity and
method. Thence I, about two o’clock, to
Westminster Hall, by appointment, and there met my
cozen Roger again, and Mr. Jackson, who is a plain
young man, handsome enough for Pall, one of no education
nor discourse, but of few words, and one altogether
that, I think, will please me well enough. My
cozen had got me to give the odd sixth L100 presently,
which I intended to keep to the birth of the first
child: and let it go—I shall be eased
of the care, and so, after little talk, we parted,
resolving to dine together at my house tomorrow.
So there parted, my mind pretty well satisfied with
this plain fellow for my sister, though I shall, I
see, have no pleasure nor content in him, as if he
had been a man of reading and parts, like Cumberland,
and to the Swan, and there sent for a bit of meat
and eat and drank, and so to White Hall to the Duke
of York’s chamber, where I find him and my fellows
at their usual meeting, discoursing about securing
the Medway this year, which is to shut the door after
the horse is stole. However, it is good.
Having done here, my Lord Brouncker, and W. Pen, and
I, and with us Sir Arnold Breames, to the King’s
playhouse, and there saw a piece of “Love in
a Maze,” a dull, silly play, I think; and after
the play, home with W. Pen and his son Lowther, whom
we met there, and then home and sat most of the evening
with my wife and Mr. Pelting, talking, my head being
full of business of one kind or other, and most such
as do not please me, and so to supper and to bed.