29th.  Up and to the office, where all the morning sitting, at noon to the ’change, and there I found and brought home Mr. Pierse the surgeon to dinner.  Where I found also Mr. Luellin and Mount, and merry at dinner, but their discourse so free . . . . that I was weary of them.  But after dinner Luellin took me up to my chamber to give me L50 for the service I did him, though not so great as he expected and I intended.  But I told him that I would not sell my liberty to any man.  If he would give me any thing by another’s hand I would endeavour to deserve it, but I will never give him himself thanks for it, not acknowledging the receiving of any, which he told me was reasonable.  I did also tell him that neither this nor any thing should make me to do any thing that should not be for the King’s service besides.  So we parted and left them three at home with my wife going to cards, and I to my office and there staid late.  Sir W. Pen came like a cunning rogue to sit and talk with me about office business and freely about the Comptroller’s business of the office, to which I did give him free answers and let him make the best of them.  But I know him to be a knave, and do say nothing that I fear to have said again.  Anon came Sir W. Warren, and after talking of his business of the masts and helping me to understand some foul dealing in the business of Woods we fell to other talk, and particularly to speak of some means how to part this great familiarity between Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes, and it is easy to do by any good friend of Sir J. Minnes to whom it will be a good service, and he thinks that Sir J. Denham will be a proper man for it, and so do I. So after other discourse we parted, and I home and to bed.

30th.  Up betimes and by coach to my Lord Sandwich, who I met going out, and he did aske me how his cozen, my wife; did, the first time he hath done so since his being offended, and, in my conscience, he would be glad to be free with me again, but he knows not how to begin.  So he went out, and I through the garden to Mr. Coventry, where I saw Mr. Ch.  Pett bringing him a modell, and indeed it is a pretty one, for a New Year’s gift; but I think the work not better done than mine.  With him by coach to London, with good and friendly discourse of business and against Sir W. Batten and his foul dealings.  So leaving him at the Guiny House I to the Coffee House, whither came Mr. Grant and Sir W. Petty, with whom I talked, and so did many, almost all the house there, about his new vessel, wherein he did give me such satisfaction in every point that I am almost confident she will prove an admirable invention.  So home to dinner, and after being upon the ’Change awhile I dined with my wife, who took physique to-day, and so to my office, and there all the afternoon till late at night about office business, and so to supper and to bed.