Up, and Sir W. Warren with me betimes and signed a bond, and assigned his order on the Exchequer to a blank for me to fill and I did deliver him 1900l.. The truth is, it is a great venture to venture so much on the Act, but thereby I hedge in 300l. gift for my service about some ships that he hath bought, prizes, and good interest besides, and his bond to repay me the money at six weeks’ warning. So to the office, where busy all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and there my brother Balty dined with me and my wife, who is become a good serious man, and I hope to do him good being sending him a Muster-Master on one of the squadrons of the fleete. After dinner and he gone I to my accounts hard all the afternoon till it was quite darke, and I thank God I do come to bring them very fairly to make me worth 5,000l. stocke in the world, which is a great mercy to me. Though I am a little troubled to find 50l. difference between the particular account I make to myself of my profits and loss in each month and the account which I raise from my acquittances and money which I have at the end of every month in my chest and other men’s hands. However I do well believe that I am effectually 5,000l., the greatest sum I ever was in my life yet, and this day I have as I have said before agreed with Sir W. Warren and got of him 300l. gift.
At night a while to the office and then home and supped and to my accounts again till I was ready to sleepe, there being no pleasure to handle them, if they are not kept in good order. So to bed.
a blank
for me to fill
is a great venture to venture
my service my brother my wife my God
my profits my money my chest my life
my sleep
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Tuesday 3 April 1666.