February 1st (Lord’s day). Up and to church, where Mr. Mills, a good
sermon, and so home and had a good dinner with my wife, with which I was
pleased to see it neatly done, and this troubled me to think of parting
with Jane, that is come to be a very good cook. After dinner walked to
my Lord Sandwich, and staid with him in the chamber talking almost all
the afternoon, he being not yet got abroad since his sickness. Many
discourses we had; but, among others, how Sir R. Bernard is turned out
of his Recordership of Huntingdon by the Commissioners for Regulation,
&c., at which I am troubled, because he, thinking it is done by my Lord
Sandwich, will act some of his revenge, it is likely, upon me in my
business, so that I must cast about me to get some other counsel to rely
upon. In the evening came Mr. Povey and others to see my Lord, and they
gone, my Lord and I and Povey fell to the business of Tangier, as to
the victualling, and so broke up, and I, it being a fine frost, my boy
lighting me I walked home, and after supper up to prayers, and then
alone with my wife and Jane did fall to tell her what I did expect would
become of her since, after so long being my servant, she had carried
herself so as to make us be willing to put her away, and desired God to
bless [her], but bid her never to let me hear what became of her,
for that I could never pardon ingratitude. So I to bed, my mind
much troubled for the poor girl that she leaves us, and yet she not
submitting herself, for some words she spoke boldly and yet I believe
innocently and out of familiarity to her mistress about us weeks ago, I
could not recall my words that she should stay with me. This day Creed
and I walking in White Hall garden did see the King coming privately
from my Lady Castlemaine’s; which is a poor thing for a Prince to do;
and I expressed my sense of it to Creed in terms which I should not have
done, but that I believe he is trusty in that point.
2nd. Up, and after paying Jane her wages, I went away, because I could
hardly forbear weeping, and she cried, saying it was not her fault that
she went away, and indeed it is hard to say what it is, but only her not
desiring to stay that she do now go. By coach with Sir J. Minnes and
Sir W. Batten to the Duke; and after discourse as usual with him in his
closett, I went to my Lord’s: the King and Duke being gone to chappell,
it being collar-day, it being Candlemas-day; where I staid with him a
while until towards noon, there being Jonas Moore talking about some
mathematical businesses, and thence I walked at noon to Mr. Povey’s,
where Mr. Gawden met me, and after a neat and plenteous dinner as is
usual, we fell to our victualling business, till Mr. Gawden and I did
almost fall out, he defending himself in the readiness of his provision,
when I know that the ships everywhere stay for them. Thence Mr. Povey
and I walked to White Hall, it being a great frost still, and after a
turn in the Park seeing them slide, we met at the Committee for Tangier,
a good full Committee, and agreed how to proceed in the dispatching of
my Lord Rutherford, and treating about this business of Mr. Cholmely and
Sir J. Lawson’s proposal for the Mole. Thence with Mr. Coventry down to
his chamber, where among other discourse he did tell me how he did make
it not only his desire, but as his greatest pleasure, to make himself
an interest by doing business truly and justly, though he thwarts others
greater than himself, not striving to make himself friends by addresses;
and by this he thinks and observes he do live as contentedly (now
he finds himself secured from fear of want), and, take one time with
another, as void of fear or cares, or more, than they that (as his own
termes were) have quicker pleasures and sharper agonies than he. Thence
walking with Mr. Creed homewards we turned into a house and drank a
cup of Cock ale and so parted, and I to the Temple, where at my cozen
Roger’s chamber I met Madam Turner, and after a little stay led her home
and there left her, she and her daughter having been at the play to-day
at the Temple, it being a revelling time with them.
[The revels were held in the Inner Temple Hall. The last revel in
any of the Inns of Court was held in the Inner Temple in 1733.]
Thence called at my brother’s, who is at church, at the buriall of young
Cumberland, a lusty young man. So home and there found Jane gone, for
which my wife and I are very much troubled, and myself could hardly
forbear shedding tears for fear the poor wench should come to any ill
condition after her being so long with me. So to my office and setting
papers to rights, and then home to supper and to bed. This day at my
Lord’s I sent for Mr. Ashwell, and his wife came to me, and by discourse
I perceive their daughter is very fit for my turn if my family may be as
much for hers, but I doubt it will be to her loss to come to me for so
small wages, but that will be considered of.
3rd. To the office all the morning, at noon to dinner, where Mr. Creed
dined with me, and Mr. Ashwell, with whom after dinner I discoursed
concerning his daughter coming to live with us. I find that his daughter
will be very fit, I think, as any for our turn, but the conditions I
know not what they will be, he leaving it wholly to her, which will be
agreed on a while hence when my wife sees her. After an hour’s discourse
after dinner with them, I to my office again, and there about business
of the office till late, and then home to supper and to bed.