did our common business, and so broke up, and I homeward by coach with Sir
W. Batten, and staid at Warwicke Lane and there called upon Mr. Commander
and did give him my last will and testament to write over in form, and so
to the 'Change, where I did several businesses. So home to dinner, and
after I had dined Luellin came and we set him something to eat, and I left
him there with my wife, and to the office upon a particular meeting of the
East India Company, where I think I did the King good service against the
Company in the business of their sending our ships home empty from the
Indies contrary to their contract, and yet, God forgive me! I found that
I could be willing to receive a bribe if it were offered me to conceal my
arguments that I found against them, in consideration that none of my
fellow officers, whose duty it is more than mine, had ever studied the
case, or at this hour do understand it, and myself alone must do it. That
being done Mr. Povy and Bland came to speak with me about their business
of the reference, wherein I shall have some more trouble, but cannot help
it, besides I hope to make some good use of Mr. Povy to my advantage. So
home after business done at my office, to supper, and then to the globes
with my wife, and so to bed. Troubled a little in mind that my Lord
Sandwich should continue this strangeness to me that methinks he shows me
now a days more than while the thing was fresh.

26th. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon to the
'Change, after being at the Coffee-house, where I sat by Tom Killigrew,
who told us of a fire last night in my Lady Castlemaine's lodging, where
she bid L40 for one to adventure the fetching of a cabinet out, which at
last was got to be done; and the fire at last quenched without doing much
wrong. To 'Change and there did much business, so home to dinner, and
then to the office all the afternoon. And so at night my aunt Wight and
Mrs. Buggin came to sit with my wife, and I in to them all the evening, my
uncle coming afterward, and after him Mr. Benson the Dutchman, a frank,