seem to have some intention of good to us, which I shall endeavour to
continue more than ever I did yet. So to my office till late, and then
home to bed, after being at prayers, which is the first time after my late
vowe to say prayers in my family twice in every week.

13th. Up and to my office a little, and then abroad to many several
places about business, among others to the geometrical instrument makers,
and through Bedlam (calling by the way at an old bookseller's and there
fell into looking over Spanish books and pitched upon some, till I thought
of my oathe when I was going to agree for them, and so with much ado got
myself out of the shop glad at my heart and so away) to the African House
to look upon their book of contracts for several commodities for my
information in the prices we give in the Navy. So to the Coffee [house]
where extraordinary good discourse of Dr. Whistler's' upon my question
concerning the keeping of masts, he arguing against keeping them dry, by
showing the nature of corruption in bodies and the several ways thereof.
So to the 'Change, and thence with Sir W. Rider to the Trinity House to
dinner, and then home and to my office till night, and then with Mr. Bland
to Sir T. Viner's about pieces of eight for Sir J. Lawson, and so back to
my office, and there late upon business, and so home to supper and to bed.

14th. Up and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon all of us,
viz., Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Batten at one end, and Mr. Coventry, Sir
J. Minnes and I (in the middle at the other end, being taught how to sit
there all three by my sitting so much the backwarder) at the other end, to
Sir G. Carteret's, and there dined well. Here I saw Mr. Scott, the
bastard that married his youngest daughter. Much pleasant talk at table,
and then up and to the office, where we sat long upon our design of
dividing the Controller's work into some of the rest of our hands for the
better doing of it, but he would not yield to it, though the simple man