22nd. Up, and by water to White Hall to Sir G. Carteret, who

tells me now for certain how the Commission for the Treasury is

disposed of; viz. to Duke of Albemarle, Lord Ashly, Sir W.

Coventry, Sir John Duncomb, and Sir Thomas Clifford: at which,

he says, all the whole Court is disturbed; it having been once

concluded otherwise into the other hands formerly mentioned in

yesterday's notes, but all of a sudden the King's choice was

changed, and these are to be the men: the first of which is only

for a puppet to give honour to the rest. He do presage that

these men will make it their business to find faults in the

management of the late Lord Treasurer, and in discouraging the

bankers: but I am (whatever I in compliance do say to him) of

another mind, and my heart is very glad of it, for I do expect

they will do much good, and that it is the happiest thing that

hath appeared to me for the good of the nation since the King

come in. Thence to St. James's, and up to the Duke of York; and

there in his chamber Sir W. Coventry did of himself take notice

of this business of the Treasury, wherein he is in the

Commission, and desired that I would be thinking of any thing fit

for him to be acquainted with for the lessening of charge and

bettering of our credit, and what our expence hath been since the

King's coming home, which he believes will be one of the first

things they shall enquire into: which I promised him, and from

time to time, which he desires, give him an account of what I can

think of worthy his knowledge. I am mighty glad of this

opportunity of professing my joy to him in what choice the King

hath made, and the hopes I have that it will save the kingdom

from perishing: and how it do encourage me to take pains again,

after my having through despair neglected it! which he told me

of himself that it was so with him, that he had given himself up

to more ease than ever he expected, and that his opinion of

matters was so bad that there was no public employment in the

kingdom should have been accepted by him but this which the King

hath now given him; and therein he is glad, in hopes of the

service he may do therein; and in my conscience he will. So into

the Duke of York's closet, and there, among other things, Sir W.

Coventry did take notice of what he told me the other day, about

a report of Commissioner Pett's dealing for timber in the Navy

and selling it to us in other names; and besides his own proof,

did produce a paper I had given him this morning about it, in the

case of Widow Murford and Morecocke, which was so handled, that

the Duke of York grew very angry, and commanded us presently to

fall into the examination of it, saying that he would not trust a

man for his sake that lifts up the whites of his eyes. And it

was declared that if he be found to have done so, he should be

reckoned unfit to serve the Navy; and I do believe he will be

turned out: and it was, methought, a worthy saying of Sir W.

Coventry to the Duke of York, "Sir," says he, "I do not make this

complaint out of any disrespect to Commissioner Pett, but because

I do love to do these things fairly and openly." This day coming

from Westminster with W. Batten, we saw at White Hall stairs a

fisher-boat with a sturgeon that he had newly catched in the

River; which I saw, but it was but a little one; but big enough

to prevent my mistake of that for a colt, if ever I become Mayor

of Huntingdon.

23rd. Sir John Duncomb is sworn yesterday a Privy-councillor.

This day I hear also that last night the Duke of Kendall, [Henry

Stuart. Created Duke of Kendall, 1664.] second son of the Duke

of York, did die; and that the other, Duke of Cambridge,

continues very ill still.

26th. All our discourse about Brampton, and my intentions to

build there if I could be free of my engagement to my uncle

Thomas and his son, that they may not have what I have built

against my will in case of me and my brother's being without

heirs male; which is the true reason why I am against laying out

money upon that place, together with my fear of some

inconvenience by being so near Hinchingbroke; being obliged to be

a servant to that family, and subject to what expence they shall

call me; and to have all that I shall buy or do esteemed as got

by the death of my uncle, when indeed what I have from him is not

worth naming.

27th. The new Commissioners of the Treasury have chosen Sir G.

Downing for their Secretary: and I think in my conscience they

have done a great thing in it; for he is active and a man of

business, and values himself upon having of things do well under

his hand; so that I am mightily pleased in their choice. Abroad,

and stopped at Bear-garden stairs, there to see a prize fought.

But the house so full there was no getting in there, so forced to

go through an alehouse into the pit, where the bears are baited;

and upon a stool did see them fight, which they did very

furiously, a butcher and a waterman. The former had the better

all along till by and by the latter dropped his sword out of his

hand, and the butcher, whether not seeing his sword dropped I

know not, but did give him a cut over the wrist, so as he was

disabled to fight any longer. But, Lord! to see how in a minute

the whole stage was full of watermen to revenge the foul play,

and the butchers to defend their fellow, though most blamed him;

and there they all fell to it to knocking down and cutting many

on each side. It was pleasant to see, but that I stood in the

pit, and feared that in the tumult I might get some hurt. At

last the battle broke up, and so I away. The Duke of Cambridge

very ill still.

28th. Up, and by coach to St. James's, where I find Sir W.

Coventry desirous to have spoke with me. It was to read over a

draught of a letter which he hath made for his brother

Commissioners and him to sign to us, demanding an account of the

whole business of the Navy accounts; and I perceive, by the way

he goes about it, that they will do admirable things. He tells

me that they have chosen Sir G. Downing their Secretary, who will

be as fit a man as any in the world: and he said, by the by,

speaking of the banquers being fearful of Sir G. Downing's being

Secretary, he being their enemy, that they did not intend to be

ruled by their Secretary but do the business themselves. My

heart is glad to see so great hopes of good to the nation as will

be by these men; and it do me good to see Sir W. Coventry so

cheerfull as he now is on the same score. My wife away down with

Jane and W. Hewer to Woolwich, in order to a little ayre and to

lie there to night, and so to gather May-dew to-morrow morning,

which Mrs. Turner hath taught her is the only thing in the world

to wash her face with; and I am contented with it. I by water to

Fox-hall, and there walked in Spring-garden. A great deal of

company, and the weather and garden pleasant: and it is very

pleasant and cheap going thither, for a man may go to spend what

he will, or nothing, all as one. But to hear the nightingale and

other birds, and hear fiddles and there a harp, and here a Jew's

trump, and here laughing, and there fine people walking, is

mighty divertising.

29th. Our parson Mills having the offer of another benefice [The

Rectory of Wansted in Essex, to which he was presented.] by Sir

Robert Brookes, who was his tutor, he by my Lord Barkeley is made

one of the Duke's Chaplains, which qualifies him for two livings.

But to see how slightly such things are done, the Duke of York

only taking my Lord Barkeley's word upon saying, that we the

officers of the Navy do say that he is a good man and minister of

our parish, and the Duke of York admits him to kiss his hand, but

speaks not one word to him; but so a warrant will be drawn from

the Duke of York to qualify him, and there's an end of it.

30th. After dinner I walked to Arundell House, the way very

dusty, (the day of meeting of the Society being changed from

Wednesday to Thursday, which I knew not before, because the

Wednesday is a Council-day, and several of the Council are of the

Society, and would come but for their attending the King at

Council;) where I find very much company, in expectation of the

Duchesse of Newcastle, who had desired to be invited to the

Society; and was; after much debate PRO and CON, it seems many

being against it; and we do believe the town will be full of

ballads of it. Anon comes the Duchesse with her women attending

her; among others the Ferabosco, of whom so much talk is that her

lady would bid her show her face and kill the gallants. She is

indeed black, and hath good black little eyes, but otherwise a

very ordinary woman I do think, but they say sings well. The

Duchesse hath been a good, comely woman; but her dress so antick,

and her deportment so ordinary, that I do not like her at all,

nor did I hear her say any thing that was worth hearing, but that

she was full of admiration, all admiration. Several fine

experiments were shown her of colours, loadstones, microscopes,

and of liquors: among others, of one that did while she was

there turn a piece of roasted mutton into pure blood, which was

very rare. Here was Mrs. Moore of Cambridge, whom I had not seen

before, and I was glad to see her; as also a very black boy that

ran up and down the room, somebody's child in Arundell House.

After they had shown her many experiments, and she cried still

she was full of admiration, she departed, being led out and in by

several Lords that were there; among others, Lord George Barkeley

and Earl of Carlisle, [Charles Howard, created Earl of Carlisle

1661, employed on several Embassies, and Governor of Jamaica.

Ob. 1684.] and a very pretty young man, the Duke of Somerset.

[Francis fifth Duke of Somerset, murdered in Italy 1678.]

31st. At the Treasury chamber. Here I saw Duncomb look as big,

and take as much state on him, as if he had been born a lord.

Here I met, with Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me that he is told

this day by Secretary Morris that he believes we are, and shall

be only fooled by the French; and that the Dutch are very high

and insolent, and do look upon us as come over only to beg a

peace; which troubles me very much, and I do fear it is true.

Thence to Sir G. Carteret at his lodgings; who, I perceive, is

mightily displeased with this new Treasury; and he hath reason,

for it will eclipse him. And he tells me that my Lord Ashly says

they understand nothing; and he says he believes the King do not

intend they shall sit long. But I believe no such thing, but

that the King will find such benefit by them as he will desire to

have them continue, as we see he hath done in the late new Act

that was so much decried about the King; but yet the King hath

since permitted it, and found good by it. He says, and I

believe, that a great many persons at Court are angry at the rise

of this Duncomb, whose father, he tells me, was a long-Parliament

man, and a great Committee man; and this fellow used to carry his

papers to Committees after him: he was a kind of an atturny:

but for all this, I believe will be a great man, in spite of all.

In the evening home, and there to my unexpected satisfaction did

get my intricate accounts of interest (which have been of late

much perplexed by mixing of some moneys of Sir G. Carteret's with

mine) evened and set right: and so late to supper, and with

great quiet to bed; finding by the balance of my account that I

am creditor 6900l. for which the Lord of Heaven be praised!

JUNE 1, 1667. Up; and there comes to me Mr. Commander, whom I

employ about hiring of some ground behind the office, for the

building of me a stable and coach-house: for I do find it

necessary for me, both in respect of honour and the profit of it

also, (my expense in hackney-coaches being now so great), to keep

a coach, and therefore will do it. Having given him some

instructions about it, I to the office; where we have news that

our peace with Spain as to trade is wholly concluded, and we are

to furnish him with some men for Flanders against the French.

How that will agree with the French I know not; but they say that

he also hath liberty to get what men he pleases out of England.

But for the Spaniard, I hear that my Lord Castlehaven is raising

a regiment of 4000 men which he is to command there; and several

young gentlemen are going over in commands with him: and they

say the Duke of Monmouth is going over only as a traveller, not

to engage on either side, but only to see the campagne, which

will be becoming him much more: than to live as he now do.

3rd. Met Mr. Mills, our parson, whom I went back with to bring

him to Sir W. Coventry to give him the form of a qualification

for the Duke of York to sign to, to enable him to have two

livings; which was a service I did, but much against my will, for

a lazy, fat priest. Sir William Doyly did lay a wager with me,

the Treasurership would be in one hand (notwithstanding this

present Commission) before Christmas: on which we did lay a poll

of ling, a brace of carps, and a bottle of wine; and Sir W. Pen

and Mr. Scowen to be at the eating of them. Thence down by water

to Deptford, it being Trinity Monday, when the Master is chosen.

And so I down with them; and we had a good dinner of plain meat,

and good company at our table: among others my good Mr. Evelyn,

with whom after dinner I stepped aside and talked upon the

present posture of our affairs; which is, that the Dutch are

known to be abroad with eighty sail of ships of war, and twenty

fire-ships, and the French come into the Channell with twenty

sail of men-of-war, and five fire-ships, while we have not a ship

at sea to do them any hurt with, but are calling in all we can,

while our Embassadors are treating at Bredah, and the Dutch look

upon them as come to beg peace, and use them accordingly: and

all this through the negligence of our Prince, who had power, if

he would, to master all these with the money and men that he hath

had the command of, and may now have, if he would mind his

business. In the Treasury-chamber an hour or two, where we saw

the Country Receivers and Accountants come to attend; and one of

them a brisk young fellow (with his hat cocked like a fool

behind, as the present fashion among the blades is) committed to

the Serjeant. By and by I upon desire was called in, and

delivered in my Report of my Accounts. Present, Lord Ashly,

Clifford, and Duncomb. But I do like the way of these lords,

that they admit nobody to use many words, nor do they spend many

words themselves, but in great state do bear what they see

necessary, and say little themselves, but bid withdraw.

5th. Captain Perriman brings us word bow the Happy Returne's

crew below in the Hope, ordered to carry the Portugal Embassador

to Holland, (and the Embassador, I think, on board,) refuse to go

till paid; and by their example two or three more ships are in a

mutiny: which is a sad consideration, while so many of the

enemy's ships are at this day triumphing in the sea. Sir G.

Carteret showed me a gentleman coming by in his coach who hath

been sent for up out of Lincolnshire, (I think he says he is a

justice of peace there,) that the Council have laid by the heels

here, and here lies in a messenger's hands, for saying that a man

and his wife are but one person, and so ought to pay but 12d. for

both to the Poll Bill; by which others were led to do the like:

and so here he lies prisoner.

7th. With Mr. Townsend, whom I sent for to come to me to

discourse about my Lord Sandwich's business; (for whom I am in

some pain lest the Accounts of the Wardrobe may not be in so good

order as may please the new Lords' Treasurers, who are quick-

sighted, and under obligations of recommending themselves to the

King and the world by their finding and mending of faults, and

are most of them not the best friends to my Lord.)

8th. Up, and to the office, where all the news this morning is

that the Dutch are come with a fleet of eighty sail to Harwich,

and that guns were heard plain by Sir W. Rider's people at

Bednall-greene all yesterday even. The news is confirmed that

the Dutch are off Harwich, but had done nothing last night. The

King hath sent down my Lord of Oxford to raise the countries

there; and all the Western barges are taken up to make a bridge

over the river about the Hope for horse to cross the River, if

there be occasion.

9th. I hear that the Duke of Cambridge, who was given over long

since by the Doctors, is now likely to recover; for which God be

praised! To Sir W. Coventry, and there talked with him a great

while; and mighty glad I was of my good fortune to visit him, for

it keeps in my acquaintance with him, and the world sees it, and

reckons my interest accordingly. In comes my Lord Barkeley, who

is going down to Harwich also to look after the militia there:

and there is also the Duke of Monmouth, and with him a great many

young Hectors, the Lord Chesterfield, my Lord Mandeville, and

others; but to little purpose, I fear, but to debauch the country

women thereabouts. My Lord Barkeley wanting some maps, and Sir

W. Coventry recommending the six maps of England that are bound

up for the pocket, I did offer to present my Lord with them,

which he accepted; and so I will send them him. I find an order

come for the getting some fire-ships presently to annoy the

Dutch, who are in the King's Channel, and expected up higher.

10th. Up; and news brought us that the Dutch are come up as high

as the Nore; and more presing orders for fire-ships. W. Batten,

W. Pen, and I to St. James's; whence the Duke of York gone this

morning betimes, to send away some men down to Chatham. So we

then to White Hall, and meet Sir W. Coventry, who presses all

that is possible for fireships. So we three to the office

presently; and thither comes Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who is to

command them all in some exploits he is to do with them on the

enemy in the River. [Son of Fretcheville Hollis, of Grimsby

(Colonel of a regiment on the King's side during the Civil Wars,

in which he acquired considerable credit,) by his second wife

Elizabeth Molesworth, and himself a distinguished naval officer.

He lost an arm in the sea-fight 1665, and afterwards served as

Rear-Admiral under Sir R. Holmes, when they attacked the Smyrna

fleet. He fell in the battle of Southwold Bay, 1672, on board

the Cambridge. Although Mr. Pepys speaks slightingly of Sir F.

H. he was a man of high spirit and enterprise, and is thus

eulogised by Dryden in his ANNUS MIRABILIS.

"Young Hollis on a Muse by Mars begot,

Born, Caesar-like, to write and act great deeds,

Impatient to revenge his fatal shot,

His right hand doubly to his left succeeds."]

So we all down to Deptford, and pitched upon ships and set men at

work: but, Lord! to see how backwardly things move at this

pinch, notwithstanding that by the enemy's being now come up as

high as almost the Hope, Sir J. Minnes, who was gone down to pay

some ships there, hath sent up the money; and so we are possessed

of money to do what we will with. Yet partly ourselves, being

used to be idle and in despair, and partly people that have been

used to be deceived by us as to money won't believe us; and we

know not, though we have it, how almost to promise it; and our

wants such, and men out of the way, that it is an admirable thing

to consider how much the King suffers, and how necessary it is in

a State to keep the King's service always in a good posture and

credit. Down to Gravesend, where I find the Duke of Albemarle

just come, with a great many idle lords and gentlemen, with their

pistols and fooleries; and the bulworke not able to have stood

half an hour had they come up; but the Dutch are fallen down from

the Hope and Shell-haven as low as Sheerenesse, and we do plainly

at this time hear the guns play. Yet I do not find the Duke of

Albemarle intends to go thither, but stays here to-night, and

hath (though the Dutch are gone) ordered our frigates to be

brought to a line between the two block-houses; which I took then

to be a ridiculous thing. I find the town had removed most of

their goods out of the town, for fear of the Dutch coming up to

them; and from Sir John Griffen, that last night there was not

twelve men to be got in the town to defend it: which the master

of the house tells me is not true, but that the men of the town

did intend to stay, though they did indeed, and so had he (at the

Ship,) removed their goods. Thence went to an Ostend man-of-war

just now come up, who met the Dutch fleet, who took three ships

that he came convoying hither from him: says they are as low as

the Nore, or thereabouts.

11th. Brouncker come to us, who is just now going to Chatham

upon a desire of Commissioner Pett's, who is very fearful of the

Dutch, and desires help for God and the King and kingdom's sake.

So Brouncker goes down, and Sir J. Minnes also from Gravesend.

This morning Pett writes us word that Sheerenesse is lost last

night, after two or three hours' dispute. The enemy hath

possessed himself of that place; which is very sad, and puts us

into great fears of Chatham. Home, and there to our business,

hiring some fire-ships, and receiving every hour almost letters

from Sir W. Coventry, calling for more fire-ships: and an order

from Council to enable us to take any man's ships; and Sir W.

Coventry, in his letter to us, says he do not; doubt but at this

time (under an invasion, as he owns it to be) the King may by law

take any man's goods. At this business late, and then home;

where a great deal of serious talk with my wife about the sad

state we are in, and especially from the beating up of drums this

night for the train-bands upon pain of death to appear in arms

to-morrow morning, with bullet and powder, and money to supply

themselves with victuals for a fortnight: which, considering the

soldiers drawn out to Chatham and elsewhere, looks as if they had

a design to ruin the City and give it up to be undone; which, I

hear, makes the sober citizens to think very sadly of things.

12th. Up very betimes to our business at the office, their

hiring of more fire-ships; and at it close all the morning. At

noon home, and Sir W. Pen dined with us. By and by after dinner

my wife out by coach to see her mother; and I in another (being

afraid at this busy time to be seen with a woman in a coach, as

if I were idle) towards The. Turner's: but met Sir W. Coventry's

boy; and there in a letter find that; the Dutch had made no

motion since their taking Sheerenesse, and the Duke of Albemarle

writes that all is safe as to the great ships against any

assault, the bomb and chaine being so fortified: which put my

heart into great joy. When I come to Sir W. Coventry's chamber,

I find him abroad; but his clerk, Powell, do tell me that ill

news is come to Court of the Dutch breaking the Chaine at

Chatham; which struck me to the heart. And to White Hall to hear

the truth of it; and there going up the Park-stairs I did hear

some lacquies speaking of sad news come to Court, saying, there

is hardly any body in the Court but do look as if he cried. I

met Roger Pepys, newly come out of the country: in discourse he

told me that his grandfather, my great grandfather, had 800l. per

annum in Queene Elizabeth's time in the very town of Cottenham;

and that we did certainly come out of Scotland with the Abbot of

Crowland. Home, where all our hearts do now ake; for the news is

true that the Dutch have broke the chaine and burned our ships,

and particularly "The Royal Charles:" other particulars I know

not, but it is said to be so. And the truth is I do fear so much

that the whole kingdom is undone, that I do this night resolve to

study with my father and wife what to do with the little that I

have in money by me, for I give all the rest that I have in the

King's hands for Tangier for lost. So God help us! and God

knows what disorders we may fall into, and whether any violence

on this office, or perhaps some severity on our persons, as being

reckoned by the silly people, or perhaps may by policy of State

be thought fit to be condemned by the King and Duke of York, and

so put to trouble; though, God knows I have in my own person done

my full duty, I am sure.

13th. No sooner up but hear the sad news confirmed of the Royal

Charles being taken by them, and now in fitting by them, (which

Pett should have carried up higher by our several orders, and

deserves therefore to be hanged for not doing it,) and burning

several others; and that another fleet is come up into the Hope.

Upon which news the King and Duke of York have been below since

four o'clock in the morning, to command the sinking of ships at

Barking-Creeke and other places, to stop their coming up higher:

which put me into such a fear, that I presently resolved of my

father's and wife's going into the country; and at two hours'

warning they did go by the coach this day, with about 1300l. in

gold in their night-bag. Pray God give them good passage, and

good care to hide it when they come home! but my heart is full

of fear. They gone, I continued in frights and fear what to do

with the rest. W. Hewer hath been at the banker's, and hath got

500l. out of Blackwell's hands of his own money; but they are so

called upon that they will be all broke, hundreds coming to them

for money: and they answer him, "It is payable at twenty days--

when the days are out we will pay you;" and those that are not so

they make tell over their money, and make their bags false on

purpose to give cause to retell it, and so spend time. I cannot

have my 200 pieces or gold again for silver, all being bought up

last night that were to be had, and sold for 24 and 25s. a-piece.

Every minute some one or other calls for this or that order; and

so I forced to be at the office most of the day about the fire-

ships which are to be suddenly fitted out. And it's a most

strange thing that we hear nothing from any of my brethren at

Chatham: so that we are wholly in the dark, various being the

reports of what is done there; insomuch, that I sent Mr. Clapham

express thither to see how matters go. I did about noon resolve

to send Mr. Gibson away after my wife with another 1000 pieces,

under colour of an express to Sir Jeremy Smith, who is, as I

hear, with some ships at Newcastle; which I did really send to

him, and may possibly prove of good use to the King, for it is

possible in the hurry of business they may not think of it at

Court, and the charge of express is not considerable to the King.

The King and Duke of York up and down all the day here and there:

some time on Tower Hill, where the City militia was; where the

King did make a speech to them, that they should venture

themselves no further than he would himself. I also sent (my

mind being in pain) Saunders after my wife and father, to

overtake them at their night's lodging, to see how matters go

with them. In the evening I sent for my cousin Sarah and her

husband, who come; and I did deliver them my chest of writings

about Brampton, and my brother Tom's papers, and my journalls,

which I value much: and did send my two silver flagons to Kate

Joyce's: that so being scattered what I have, something might be

saved. I have also made a girdle, by which with some trouble I

do carry about me 300l. in gold about my body, that I may not be

without something in case I should be surprised; for I think, in

any nation but our's, people that appear (for we are not indeed

so) so faulty as we, would have their throats cut. In the

evening comes Mr. Pelling and several others to the office, and

tell me that never were people so dejected as they are in the

City all over at this day; and do talk most loudly, even treason;

as, that we are bought and sold, that we are betrayed by the

Papists and others about the King: cry out that the office of

the Ordnance hath been so backward as no powder to have been at

Chatham nor Upner Castle till such a time, and the carriages all

broken: Legg is a Papist; [William Legge, mentioned before, He

was Treasurer and Superintendent of the Ordnance, with General's

pay.] that Upner, the old good castle built by Queen Elizabeth,

should be lately slighted; that the ships at Chatham should not

be carried up higher. They look upon us as lost, and remove

their families and rich goods in the City; and do think verily

that the French being come down with an army to Dunkirke, it is

to invade us, and that we shall be invaded. Mr. Clerke, the

solicitor, comes to me about business, and tells me that he hears

that the King hath chosen Mr. Pierpoint and Vaughan of the West,

Privy-councillors; that my Lord Chancellor was affronted in the

Hall this day, by people telling him of his Dunkirke House; and

that there are regiments ordered to be got together, whereof to

be commanders my Lord Fairfax, Ingolsby, Bethell, Norton, and

Birch, and other Presbyterians; and that Dr. Bates will have

liberty to preach. Now, whether this be true or not, I know not;

but do think that nothing but this will unite us together. Late

at night comes Mr. Hudson the cooper, my neighbour, and tells me

that he come from Chatham this evening at five o'clock, and saw

this afternoon "The Royal James," "Oake," and "London," burnt by

the enemy with their fire-ships: that two or three men-of-war

come up with them, and made no more of Upner Castle's shooting

than of a fly; that those ships lay below Upner-Castle, (but

therein, I conceive, he is in an error;) that the Dutch are

fitting out "The Royall Charles;" that we shot; so far as from

the Yard thither, so that the shot did no good, for the bullets

grazed on the water; that Upner played hard with their guns at

first, but slowly afterwards, either from the men's being beat

off; or their powder spent. But we hear that the fleet in the

Hope is not come up any higher the last flood. And Sir W. Batten

tells me that ships are provided to sink in the River, about

Woolwich, that will prevent their coming up higher if they should

attempt it. I made my will also this day, and did give all I had

equally between my father and wife.

14th. Up, and to the office; where Mr. Fryer comes and tells me

that there are several Frenchman and Flemish ships in the River

with passes from the Duke of York for carrying of prisoners, that

ought to be parted from the rest of the ships, and their powder

taken, lest they do fire themselves when the enemy comes, and so

spoil us; which is good advice, and I think I will give notice of

it; and did so. But it is pretty odd to see how every body, even

at this high time of danger, puts business off of their own

hands! He says that he told this to the Lieutenant of the Tower,

(to whom I, for the same reason, was directing him to go); and

the Lieutenant of the Tower bade him come to us, for he had

nothing to do with it. And yesterday comes Captain Crew, of one

of the fire-ships, and told me that the officers of the Ordnance

would deliver his gunner's materials, but not compound them, but

that we must do it; whereupon I was forced to write to them about

it: and one that like a great many come to me this morning. By

and by comes Mr. Willson, and, by direction of his, a man of Mr.

Gauden's; who are come from Chatham last night, and saw the three

ships burnt, they lying all dry, and boats going from the men-of-

war to fire them. But that that he tells me of worst consequence

is, that he himself (I think he said) did hear many Englishmen on

board the Dutch ships speaking to one another in English; and

that they did cry and say, "We did heretofore fight for tickets;

now we fight for dollars!" and did ask how such and such a one

did, and would commend themselves to them: which is a sad

consideration. And Mr. Lewes (who was present at this fellow's

discourse to me) did tell me, that he is told that when they took

"The Royal Charles," they said that they had their tickets signed

(and showed some), and that now they come to have them paid, and

would have them paid before they parted. And several seamen come

this morning to me, to tell me that if I would get their tickets

paid they would go and do all they could against the Dutch; but

otherwise they would not venture being killed, and lose all they

have already fought for: so that I was forced to try what I

could do to get them paid. This man tells me that the ships

burnt last night did lie above Upner Castle, over against the

Docke; and the boats come from the ships of war and burnt them:

all which is very sad. And masters of ships that are lately

taken up, do keep from their ships all their stores, or as much

as they can, so that we can dispatch them, having not time to

appraise them, nor secure their payment. Only some little money

we have, which we are fain to pay the men we have with every

night, or they will not work. And indeed the hearts as well as

affections of the seamen are turned away; and in the open streets

in Wapping, and up and down, the wives have cried publickly,

"This comes of your not paying our husbands; and now your work is

undone, or done by hands that understand it not." And Sir W.

Batten told me that he was himself affronted with a woman, in

language of this kind, on Tower Hill publickly yesterday; and we

are fain to bear it, and to keep one at the office door to let no

idle people in, for fear of firing of the office and doing us

mischief. The City is troubled at their being put upon duty:

summoned one hour, and discharged two hours after: and then

again summoned two hours after that; to their great charge as

well as trouble. And Pelling, the Potticary, tells me the world

says all over, that less charge than what the kingdom is put to,

of one kind or other, by this business, would have set out all

our great ships. It is said they did in open streets yesterday,

at Westminster, cry, " A Parliament! a Parliament!" and I do

believe it will cost blood to answer for these miscarriages. We

do not hear that the Dutch are come to Gravesend; which is a

wonder. But a wonderful thing it is that to this day we have not

one word yet from Brouncker, or Peter Pett, or J. Minnes, of any

thing at Chatham. The people that come hither to hear how things

go, make me ashamed to be found unable to answer them: for I am

left alone here at the office; and the truth is, I am glad my

station is to be here, near my own home and out of danger, yet in

a place of doing the King good service. I have this morning good

news from Gibson; three letters from three several stages, that

we was safe last night as far as Royston at between nine and ten

at night. The dismay that is upon us all, in the business of the

kingdom and Navy at this day, is not to be expressed otherwise

than by the condition the citizens were in when the City was on

fire, nobody knowing which way to turn themselves, while

everything concurred to greaten the fire; as here the easterly

gale and spring-tides for coming up both rivers, and enabling

them to break the chaine. D. Gauden did tell me yesterday, that

the day before at the Council they were ready to fall together by

the ears at the Council-table, arraigning one another of being

guilty of the counsel that brought us into this misery, by laying

up all the great ships. Mr. Hater tells me at noon that some

rude people have been, as he hears, at my Lord Chancellor's,

where they have cut down the trees before his house and broke his

windows; and a gibbet either set up before or painted upon his

gate, and these three words writ: "Three sights to be seen;

Dunkirke, Tangier, and a barren Queene." It gives great matter

of talk that it is said there is at this hour, in the Exchequer,

as much money as is ready to break down the floor. This arises,

I believe, from Sir G. Downing's late talk of the greatness of

the sum lying there of people's money that, they would not fetch

away, which he showed me and a great many others. Most people

that I speak with are in doubt how we shall do to secure our

seamen from running over to the Dutch; which is a sad but very

true consideration at this day. At noon I am told that my Lord

Duke of Albemarle is made Lord High Constable; the meaning

whereof at this time I know not, nor whether it be true or no.

Dined, and Mr. Hater and Mr. Hewer with me; where they do speak

very sorrowfully of the posture of the times, and how people do

cry out in the streets of their being bought and sold; and both

they and every body that come to me do tell me that people make

nothing of talking treason in the streets openly; as, that they

are bought and sold, and governed by Papists, and that we are

betrayed by people about the King, and shall be delivered up to

the French, and I know not what. At dinner we discoursed of Tom

of the Wood, a fellow that lives like a hermit near Woolwich,

who, as they say (and Mr. Bodham, they tell me, affirms that he

was by at the Justice's when some did accuse him there for it)

did foretell the burning of the City, and now says that a greater

desolation is at hand. Thence we read and laughed at Lilly's

prophecies this month, in his Almanack this year. So to the

office after dinner; and thither comes Mr. Pierce, who tells me

his condition, how he cannot get his money (about 500l. which, he

says, is a very great part of what he hath for his family and

children) out of Viner's hand: and indeed it is to be feared

that this will wholly undo the bankers. He says he knows nothing

of the late affronts to my Lord Chancellor's house, as is said,

nor hears of the Duke of Albemarle's being made High Constable;

but says that they are in great distraction at White Hall, and

that every where people do speak high against Sir W. Coventry:

[Evelyn says it was owing to Sir W. C. that no fleet was fitted

out in 1667.] but he agrees with me, that he is the best

Minister of State the King hath, and so from my heart I believe.

At night come home Sir W. Batten and W. Ben, who only can tell me

that they have placed guns at Woolwich and Deptford, and sunk

some ships below Woolwich and Blackwall, and are in hopes that

they stop the enemy's coming up. But strange our confusion!

that among them that are sunk they have gone and sunk without

consideration "The Franclin," one of the King's ships with stores

to a very considerable value, that hath been long loaded for

supply of the ships; and the new ship at Bristoll, and much

wanted there. And nobody will own that they directed it, but do

lay it on Sir W. Rider. They speak also of another ship loaded

to the value of 80,000l. sunk with the goods in her, or at least

was mightily contended for by him and a foreign ship that had the

faith of the nation for her security: this Sir R. Ford tells us.

And it is too plain a truth, that both here and at Chatham the

ships that we have sunk have many, and the first of them, been

ships completely fitted for fire-ships at great charge. But most

strange the backwardness and disorder of all people, especially

the King's people in pay, to do any work, (Sir W. Pen tells me),

all crying out for money. And it was so at Chatham that this

night comes an order from Sir W. Coventry to stop the pay of the

wages of that Yard, the Duke of Albemarle having related, that

not above three of 1100 in pay there, did attend to do any work

there. This evening having sent a messenger to Chatham on

purpose, we have received a dull letter from my Lord Brouncker

and Peter Pett, how matters have gone there this week; but not so

much, or so particularly as we knew it by common talk before, and

as true. I doubt they will be found to have been but slow men in

this business; and they say the Duke of Albemarle did tell my

Lord Brouncker to his face that his discharging of the great

ships there was the cause of all this; and I am told that it is

become common talk against my Lord Brouncker. But in that; he is

to be justified, for he did it by verbal order from Sir W.

Coventry, and with good intent; and it was to good purpose,

whatever the success be, for the men would have but spent the

King so much the more in wages, and yet not attended on board to

have done the King any service. And as an evidence of that, just

now, being the 15th day in the morning that I am writing

yesterday's passages, one is with me, Jacob Bryan, Purser of the

Princesse, who confesses to me that he hath but 180 men borne at

this day in victuals and wages on that ship lying at Chatham,

being lately brought in thither; of which 180 there was not above

five appeared to do the King any service at this late business.

And this morning also, some of the Cambridge's men come up from

Portsmouth by order from Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who boasted to

us the other day that he had sent for 50, and would be hanged if

100 did not come up that would do as much as twice the number of

other men: I say some of them, instead of being at work at

Deptford, where they were intended, do come to the office this

morning to demand the payment of their tickets; for otherwise

they would, they said, do no more work; and are, as I understand

from every body that has to do with them, the most debauched,

damning, swearing rogues that ever were in the Navy, just like

their prophane commander.

15th. All the morning at the office. No news more than last

night; only Purser Tyler comes and tells me that he being at all

the passages in this business at Chatham, he says there have been

horrible miscarriages, such as we shall shortly hear of: that

the want of boats hath undone us: and it is commonly said, and

Sir J. Minnes under his hand tells us, that they were employed by

the men of the Yard to carry away their goods; and I hear that

Commissioner Pett will be found the first man that began to

remove: he is much spoken against, and Brouncker is complained

of, and reproached for discharging the men of the great ships

heretofore. At noon Mr. Hater dined with me; and tells me he

believes that it will hardly be the want of money alone that will

excuse to the Parliament the neglect of not setting out a fleet,

it having never been done in our greatest straits, but however

unlikely it appeared, yet when it was gone about, the State or

King did compass it; and there is something in it.

18th. Roger Pepys told me, that when I come to his house he will

show me a decree in Chancery, wherein there was 26 men all house-

keepers in the town of Cottenham, in Queene Elizabeth's time, of

our name. By and by occasion offered for my writing to Sir W.

Coventry a plain bold letter touching lack of money; which, when

it was gone, I was afraid might give offence; but upon two or

three readings over again the copy of it, I was satisfied it was

a good letter; only Sir W. Batten signed it with me, which I

could wish I had done alone.

17th. Every moment business of one kind or other about the fire-

ships and other businesses, most of them vexatious for want of

money, the commanders all complaining that if they miss to pay

their men a night, they run away; seamen demanding money of them

by way of advance, and some of Sir Fretcheville Hollis's men,

that he so bragged of, demanding their tickets to be paid, or

they would not work: this Hollis, Sir W. Batten and W. Pen say,

proves a conceited, idle, prating, lying fellow. Captain Cocke

tells me there have been great endeavours of bringing in the

Presbyterian interest, but that it will not do. He named to me

several of the insipid lords that are to command the armies that

are to be raised. He says the King and Court are all troubled,

and the gates of the Court were shut up upon the first coming of

the Dutch to us, but they do mind the business no more than ever:

that the bankers, he fears, are broke as to ready-money, though

Viner had 100,000l. by him when our trouble begun: that he and

the Duke of Albemarle have received into their own hands, of

Viner, the former 10,000l., and the latter 12,000l., in tallies

or assignments to secure what was in his hands of theirs; and

many other great men of our masters have done the like; which is

no good sign, when they begin to fear the main. He and every

body cries out of the office of the Ordnance, for their neglects,

both at Gravesend and Upner, and every where else.

18th. To the office, and by and by word was brought me that

Commissioner Pett is brought to the Tower, and there laid up

close prisoner; which puts me into a fright, lest they may do the

same with us as they do with him. Great news to-night of the

blowing up of one of the Dutch's greatest ships, while a Council

of War was on board: the latter part, I doubt, is not so, it not

being confirmed since; but the former, that they had a ship blown

up, is said to be true. This evening comes Sir G. Carteret to

the office, to talk of business at Sir W. Batten's; where all to

be undone for want of money, there being none to pay the chest at

their public pay the 24th of this month, which will make us a

scorn to the world. After he had done there, he and I into the

garden, and walked; and the greatest of our discourse is, his

sense of the requisiteness of his parting with his being

Treasurer of the Navy, if he can on any good terms. He do harp

upon getting my Lord Brouncker to take it on half profit, but

that he is not able to secure him in paying him so much. He

tells me now the great question is, whether a Parliament or no

Parliament; and says the Parliament itself cannot be thought able

at present to raise money, and therefore it will be to no purpose

to call one.

19th. Comes an order from Sir R. Browne, commanding me this

afternoon to attend the Council-board with all my books and

papers, touching the Medway. I was ready to fear some mischief

to myself, though it appears most reasonable that it is to inform

them about Commissioner Pett. I am called in to a large

Committee of the Council: present, the Duke of Albemarle,

Anglesy, Arlington, Ashly, Carteret, Duncomb, Coventry, Ingram,

Clifford, Lauderdale, Morrice, Manchester, Craven, Carlisle,

Bridgewater. [John, second Earl of Bridgewater, Ob. 1686.] And

after Sir W. Coventry's telling them what orders his Royal

Highness had made for the safety of the Medway, I told them to

their full content what we had done, and showed them our letters.

Then was Peter Pett called in, with the Lieutenant of the Tower.

He is in his old clothes, and looked most sillily. His charge

was chiefly the not carrying up of the great ships, and the using

of the boats in carrying away his goods; to which he answered

very sillily, though his faults to me seem only great omissions.

Lord Arlington and Coventry very severe against him; the former

saying that, if he was not guilty the world would think them all

guilty. The latter urged, that there must be some faults, and

that the Admiral must be found to have done his part. I did say

an unhappy word, which I was sorry for, when he complained of

want of oares for the boats: and there was, it seems, enough,

and good enough, to carry away all the boats with from the King's

occasions. He said he used never a boat till they were all gone

but one; and that was to carry away things of great value, and

these were his models of ships; which, when the Council, some of

them, had said they wished that the Dutch had had them instead of

the King's ships, he answered, he did believe the Dutch would

have made more advantage of the models than of the ships, and

that the King had had greater loss thereby: this they all

laughed at. After having heard him for an hour or more, they bid

him withdraw. He being gone, they caused Sir Richard Browne to

read over his minutes; and then my Lord Arlington moved that they

might be put into my hands to put into form, I being more

acquainted with such business; and they were so. So I away back

with my books and papers; and when I got into the Court it was

pretty to see how people gazed upon me, that I thought myself

obliged to salute people and to smile, lest they should think I

was a prisoner too: but afterwards I found that most did take me

to be there to bear evidence against P. Pett. My wife did give

me so bad an account of her and my father's method in burying of

our gold, that made me mad: and she herself is not pleased with

it, she believing that my sister knows of it. My father and she

did it on Sunday, when they were gone to church, in open

daylight, in the midst of the garden; where, for aught they knew,

many eyes might see them: which put me into trouble, and

presently cast about how to have it back again to secure it here,

the times being a little better now.

20th. Mr. Barber told me that all the discourse yesterday, about

that part of the town where he was, was that Mr. Pett and I were

in the Tower; and I did hear the same before. Busy all the

afternoon: in the evening did treat with, and in the end agree,

but by some kind of compulsion, with the owners of six merchant-

ships, to serve the King as men-of-war. But, Lord! to see how

against the hair it is with these men, and everybody, to trust us

and the King; and how unreasonable it is to expect they should be

willing to lend their ships, and lay out 2 or 300l. a man to fit

their ships for the new voyages, when we have not paid them half

of what we owe them for their old services! I did write so to

Sir W. Coventry this night.

21st. This day comes news from Harwich that the Dutch fleet are

all in sight, near 100 sail great and small, they think, coming

towards them; where, they think, they shall be able to oppose

them; but do cry out of the falling back of the seamen, few

standing by them, and those with much faintness. The like they

write from Portsmouth, and their letters this post are worth

reading. Sir H. Cholmly come to me this day, and tells me the

Court is as mad as ever; and that the night the Dutch burned our

ships the King did sup with my Lady Castlemaine, at the Duchesse

of Monmouth's, and there were all mad in hunting of a poor moth.

All the Court afraid of a Parliament; but he thinks nothing can

save us but the King's giving up all to a Parliament.

22nd. In the evening come Captain Hart and Hayward to me about

the six merchant-ships now taken up for men-of-war; and in

talking they told me about the taking of "The Royal Charles;"

that nothing but carelessness lost the ship, for they might have

saved her the very tide that the Dutch came up, if they would

have but used means and had had but boats; and that the want of

boats plainly lost all the other ships. That the Dutch did take

her with a boat of nine men, who found not a man on board her,

(and her laying so near them was a main temptation to them to

come on;) and presently a man went up and struck her flag and

jacke, and a trumpeter sounded upon her "Joan's placket is torn:"

[Placket: the open part of a woman's petticoat.] that they did

carry her down at a time, both for tides and wind, when the best

pilot in Chatham would not have undertaken it, they heeling her

on one side to make her draw little water: and so carried her

away safe. They being gone, by and by comes Sir W. Pen, who hath

been at Court; and in the first place I hear the Duke of

Cambridge is dead; which is a great loss to the nation, having, I

think, never an heyre male now of the King's or Duke's to succeed

to the Crown. He tells me that they do begin already to damn the

Dutch and call them cowards at White Hall, and think of them and

their business no better than they used to do; which is very sad.

The King did tell him himself, (which is so, I was told, here in

the City,) that the City hath lent him 10,000l. to be laid out

towards securing of the River of Thames; which, methinks, is a

very poor thing, that we should be induced to borrow by such mean

sums.

23rd. To Woolwich, and there called on Mr. Bodham: and he and I

to see the batterys newly raised; which, indeed, are good works

to command the River below the ships that are sunk, but not above

them. It is a sad sight to see so many good ships there sunk in

the River, while we would be thought to be masters of the sea.

Cocke says the bankers cannot, till peace returns, ever hope to

have credit again; so that they can pay no more money, but people

must be contented to take publick security such as they can give

them; and if so, and they do live to receive the money thereupon,

the bankers will be happy men, Fenn read me an Order of Council

passed the 17th instant, directing all the Treasurers of any part

of the King's revenue to make no payments but such as shall be

approved by the present Lords Commissioners; which will, I think,

spoil the credit of all his Majesty's service, when people cannot

depend upon payment any where. But the King's declaration in

behalf of the bankers, to make good their assignments for money,

is very good, and will, I hope, secure me. Cocke says, that he

hears it is come to it now that the King will try what he can

soon do for a peace; and if he cannot, that then he will cast all

upon the Parliament to do as they see fit: and in doing so,

perhaps, it may save us all. The King of France, it is believed,

is engaged for this year; so that we shall be safe as to him.

The great misery the City and kingdom is like to suffer for want

of coals in a little time is very visible, and, is feared, will

breed a mutiny; for we are not in any prospect to command the sea

for our colliers to come, but rather, it is feared, the Dutch may

go and burn all our colliers at Newcastle; though others do say

that they lie safe enough there. No news at all of late from

Bredagh what our treaters do. In the evening comes Mr. Povy

about business; and he and I to walk in the garden an hour or

two, and to talk of State matters. He tells me his opinion that

it is out of possibility for us to escape being undone, there

being nothing in our power to do that is necessary for the saving

us: a lazy Prince, no Council, no money, no reputation at home

or abroad. He says that to this day the King do follow the women

as much as ever he did; that the Duke of York hath not got Mrs.

Middleton, as I was told the other day: but says that he wants

not her, for he hath others, and hath always had, and that he

hath known them brought through the Matted Gallery at White Hall

into his closet; nay, he hath come out of his wife's bed, and

gone to others laid in bed for him: that Mr. Brouncker is not

the only pimp, but that the whole family are of the same strain,

and will do any thing to please him: that, besides the death of

the two Princes lately, the family is in horrible disorder by

being in debt by spending above 60,000l. per annum, when he hath

not 40,000l.: that the Duchesse is not only the proudest woman

in the world, but the most expensefull; and that the Duke of

York's marriage with her hath undone the kingdom, by making the

Chancellor so great above reach, who otherwise would have been

but an ordinary man to have been dealt with by other people; and

he would have been careful of managing things well, for fear of

being called to account; whereas now he is secure, and hath let

things run to rack, as they now appear. That at a certain time

Mr. Povy did carry him an account of the state of the Duke of

York's estate, showing in faithfullness how he spent more than

his estate would bear, by above 20,000l. per annum, and asked my

Lord's opinion of it; to which he answered, that no man that

loved the King or kingdom durst own the writing of that paper:

at which Povy was started, and reckoned himself undone for this

good service, and found it necessary then to show it to the Duke

of York's Commissioners; who read, examined, and approved of it,

so as to cause it to be put into form, and signed it, and gave it

to the Duke. Now the end of the Chancellor was, for fear that

his daughter's ill housewifery should be condemned. He tells me

that the other day, upon this ill news of the Dutch being upon

us, White Hall was shut up, and the Council called and sat close;

(and, by the way he do assure me, from the mouth of some Privy-

councillors, that at this day the Privy-council in general do

know no more what the state of the kingdom as to peace and war

is, than he or I; nor who manages it, nor upon whom it depends;)

and there my Lord Chancellor did make a speech to them, saying

that they knew well that he was no friend to the war from the

beginning, and therefore had concerned himself little in, nor

could say much to it; and a great deal of that kind to discharge

himself of the fault of the war. Upon which my Lord Anglesy rose

up and told his Majesty that he thought their coming now together

was not to enquire who was or was not the cause of the war, but

to enquire what was or could be done in the business of making a

peace, and in whose hands that was, and where it was stopped or

forwarded; and went on very highly to have all made open to them:

(and, by the way, I remember that Captain Cocke did the other day

tell me that this Lord Anglesy hath said within few days, that he

would willingly give 10,000l. of his estate that he was well

secured of the rest, such apprehensions he hath of the sequel of

things, as giving all over for lost.) He tells me, (speaking of

the horrid effeminacy of the King,) that the King hath taken ten

times more care and pains in making friends between my Lady

Castlemaine and Mrs. Stewart, when they have fallen out, than

ever he did to save his kingdom; nay, that upon any falling out

between my Lady Castlemaine's nurse and her women, my Lady hath

often said she would make the King to make them friends, and they

would be friends and be quiet; which the King hath been fain to

do: that the King is, at this day, every night in Hyde Park with

the Duchesse of Monmouth, or with my Lady Castlemaine: that he

is concerned of late by my Lord Arlington in the looking after

some buildings that he is about in Norfolke, [At Euston Hall in

Suffolk, on the borders of Norfolk.] where my Lord is laying out

a great deal of money; and that he (Mr. Povy,) considering the

unsafeness of laying out money at such a time as this, and,

besides, the enviousness of the particular county as well as all

the kingdom to find him building and employing workmen, while all

the ordinary people of the country are carried down to the sea-

sides for securing the land, he thought it becoming him to go to

my Lord Arlington (Sir Thomas Clifford by) and give it as his

advice to hold his hands a little; but my Lord would not, but

would have him go on, and so Sir Thomas Clifford advised also,

which one would think (if he were a statesman) should be a sign

of his foreseeing that all shall do well. He tells me that there

is not so great confidence between any two men of power in the

nation at this day, that he knows of, as between my Lord

Arlington and Sir Thomas Clifford; and that it arises by accident

only, there being no relation nor acquaintance between them, but

only Sir Thomas Clifford's coming to him and applying himself to

him for favours, when he came first up to town to be a

Parliament-man.

25th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen in his new chariot (which indeed

is plain, but pretty and more fashionable in shape than any coach

he hath, and yet do not cost him, harness and all, above 32l.) to

White Hall; where staid a very little: and thence to St. James's

to Sir W. Coventry, whom I have not seen since before the coming

of the Dutch into the River, nor did indeed know how well to go

to see him, for shame either to him or me, or both of us, to find

ourselves in so much misery. I find that he and his fellow-

Treasurers are in the utmost want of money, and do find fault

with Sir G. Carteret, that having kept the mystery of borrowing

money to himself so long, (to the ruin of the nation, as Sir W.

Coventry said in words to Sir W. Pen and me,) he should now lay

it aside and come to them for money for every penny he hath,

declaring that he can raise no more: which, I confess do appear

to me the most like ill-will of any thing that I have observed of

Sir W. Coventry, when he himself did tell us on another occasion

at the same time, that the bankers who used to furnish them money

are not able to lend a farthing, and he knows well enough that

that was all the mystery Sir G. Carteret did use, that is, only

his credit with them. He told us the masters and owners of two

ships that I had complained of, for not readily setting forth

their ships which we had taken up to make men-of-war, had been

yesterday with the King and Council, and had made their case so

well understood, that the King did owe them for what they had

earned the last year, and that they could not set them out again

without some money or stores out of the King's Yard; the latter

of which Sir W. Coventry said must be done, for that they were

not able to raise money for them, though it was but 200l. a ship:

which do show us our condition to be so bad, that I am in a total

despair of ever having the nation do well. After that talking

awhile, and all out of heart with stories of want of seamen, and

seamen's running away, and their demanding a month's advance, and

our being forced to give seamen 3s. a-day to go hence to work at

Chatham, and other things that show nothing but destruction upon

us; for it is certain that, as it now is, the seamen of England,

in my conscience, would, if they could, go over and serve the

King of France or Holland rather than us. Up to the Duke of York

to his chamber, where he seems to be pretty easy, and now and

then merry; but yet one may perceive in all their minds there is

something of trouble and care, and with good reason. Thence to

White Hall, with Sir W. Pen, by chariot; and there in the Court

met with my Lord Anglesy: and he to talk with Sir W. Pen, and

told him of the masters of ships being with the Council

yesterday, and that we were not in condition, though the men were

willing, to furnish them with 200l. of money (already due to them

as earned by them the last year) to enable them to set out their

ships again this year for the King: which he is amazed at; and

when I told him, "My Lord, this is a sad instance of the

condition we are in," he answered that it was so indeed, and

sighed; and so parted: and he up to the Council-chamber, where I

perceive they sit every morning. It is worth noting that the

King and Council in their order of the 23rd instant, for

unloading three merchant-ships taken up for the King's service

for men-of-war, do call the late coming of the Dutch "an

invasion." I was told yesterday, that Mr. Oldenburg, [Henry

Oldenburgh, Secretary to the Royal Society.] our Secretary at

Gresham College, is put into the Tower, for writing news to a

virtuoso in France, with whom he constantly corresponds in

philosophical matters; which makes it very unsafe at this time to

write, or almost do any thing. Several captains come to the

office yesterday and to-day, complaining that their men come and

go when they will, and will not be commanded, though they are

paid every night, or may be. Nay, this afternoon comes Harry

Russell from Gravesend, telling us that the money carried down

yesterday for the Chest at Chatham had like to have been seized

upon yesterday in the barge there by seamen, who did beat our

waterman: and what men should these be but the boats' crew of

Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who used to brag so much of the goodness

and order of his men, and his command over them? Sir H. Cholmly

tells me great news; that this day in Council the King hath

declared that he will call his Parliament in thirty days: which

is the best news I have heard a great while, and will, if any

thing, save the kingdom. How the King come to be advised to

this, I know not; but he tells me that it was against the Duke of

York's mind flatly, who did rather advise the King to raise money

as he pleased; and against the Chancellor's, who told the King

that Queene Elizabeth did do all her business in eighty-eight

without calling a Parliament, and so might he do for anything he

saw, But, blessed be God, it is done; and pray God it may hold,

though some of us must surely go to the pot, for all must be

flung up to them, or nothing will be done.

26th. The Parliament is ordered to meet the 25th of July being,

as they say, St. James's day; which every creature is glad of.

Colonel Reymes [Bullen Reymes, M.P. for Melcombe Regis.] tells me

of a letter come last night or the day before from my Lord St.

Albans out of France, wherein he says that the King of France did

lately fall out with him, giving him ill names, saying that he

had belied him to our King, by saying that he had promised to

assist our King, and to forward the peace; saying that indeed he

had offered to forward the peace at such a time, but it was not

accepted of, and so he thinks himself not obliged, and would do

what was fit for him; and so made him to go out of his sight in

great displeasure: and he hath given this account to the King,

which, Colonel Reymes tells me, puts them into new melancholy at

Court, and he believes hath forwarded the resolution of calling

the Parliament. At White Hall spied Mr. Povy, who tells me as a

great secret, which none knows but himself, that Sir G. Carteret

hath parted with his place of Treasurer of the Navy by consent to

my Lord Anglesy, and is to be Treasurer of Ireland in his stead;

but upon what terms it is, I know not: and that it is in his

power to bring me to as great a friendship and confidence in my

Lord Anglesy, as ever I was with Sir W. Coventry. Such is the

want already of coals, and the despair of having any supply, by

reason of the enemy's being abroad, and no fleet of ours to

secure them, that they are come this day to 5l. 10s. per

chaldron.

27th. Proclamations come out this day for the Parliament to meet

the 25th of next month: for which God be praised! And another to

invite seamen to bring in their complaints, of their being ill

used in the getting their tickets and money. Pierce tells me

that he hears for certain fresh at Court, that France and we

shall agree; and more, that yesterday was damned at the Council

the Canary Company; and also that my Lord Mordaunt hath laid down

his Commission. News this tide that about 80 sail of Dutch,

great and small, were seen coming up the River this morning; and

this tide some of them to the upper end of the Hope.

28th. We find the Duke of York and Sir W. Coventry gone this

morning by two o'clock to Chatham, to come home to-night: and it

is fine to observe how both the King and Duke of York have in

their several late journeys to and again done them in the night

for coolnesse. They tell me that the Duke of Buckingham hath

surrendered himself to Secretary Morrice, and is going to the

Tower. Mr. Fenn, at the table, says that he hath been taken by

the watch two or three times of late, at unseasonable hours, but

so disguised that they could not know him: and when I come home

by and by, Mr. Lowther tells me that the Duke of Buckingham do

dine publickly this day at Wadlow's, at the Sun Tavern; and is

mighty merry, and sent word to the Lieutenant of the Tower that

he would come to him as soon as he had dined. It is said that

the King of France do make a sport of us now; and says, that he

knows no reason why his cosen the King of England should not be

as willing to let him have his kingdom, as that the Dutch should

take it from him, Sir G. Carteret did tell me, that the business

is done between him and my Lord Anglesy; that himself is to have

the other's place of Deputy Treasurer of Ireland (which is a

place of honour and great profit, being far better than the

Treasurer's, my Lord of Corke's,) and to give the other his of

Treasurer of the Navy; that the King, at his earnest entreaty,

did with much unwillingness, but with owing of great obligations

to him for his faithfulness and long service to him and his

father, grant his desire. My Lord Chancellor, I perceive, is his

friend in it; I remember I did in the morning tell Sir H. Cholmly

of this business: and he answered me, he was sorry for it: for

whatever Sir G. Carteret was, he is confident my Lord Anglesy is

one of the greatest knaves in the world. Home, and then find my

wife making of tea; a drink which Mr. Pelling, the Potticary,

tells her is good for her cold and defluxions. To Sir W.

Batten's to see how he did; and he is better than he was. He

told me how Mrs Lowther had her train held up yesterday by her

page at his house in the country which is ridiculous. Mr.Pelling

told us the news of the town; how the officers of the Navy are

cried out upon, and a great many greater men; but do think that I

shall do well enough; and I think, if I have justice, I shall.

We hear that the Dutch are gone down again; and, thanks be to

God, the trouble they give us this second time is not very

considerable!

30th. To Rochester about ten of the clock. At the landing-place

I met my Lord Brouncker and my Lord Douglas, and all the officers

of the soldiers in the town, waiting there for the Duke of York,

whom they heard was coming. By and by comes my Lord Middleton,

well mounted: he seems a fine soldier, and so every body says he

is; and a man like my Lord Tiviott, and indeed most of the Scotch

gentry (as I observe,) of few words. After seeing the boats come

up from Chatham with them that rowed with bandeleeres about their

shoulders, and muskets in their boats; they being the workmen of

the Yard, who have promised to redeem their credit, lost by their

deserting the service when the Dutch were there; I and Creed down

by boat to Chatham yard. Thence to see the batteries made; which

indeed are very fine, and guns placed so as one would think the

River should be very secure. Here I was told that in all the

late attempt there was but one man that they knew killed on

shore; and that was a man that had laid upon his belly upon one

of the hills on the other side of the River, to see the action;

and a bullet come, and so he was killed. Thence by barge, it

raining hard, down to the chaine; and in our way did see the sad

wrackes of the poor "Royall Oake," "James," and "London;" and

several other of our ships by us sunk, and several of the

enemy's, whereof three men-of-war that they could not get off,

and so burned. I do not see that Upner Castle hath received any

hurt by them, though they played long against it; and they

themselves shot till they had hardly a gun left upon the

carriages, so badly provided they were: they have now made two

batteries on that side, which will be very good, and do good

service. So to the chaine, and there saw it fast at the end on

Upner side of the River; very fast, and borne up upon the several

stages across the River; and where it is broke nobody can tell

me. I went on shore on Upner side to look upon the end of the

chaine; and caused the link to be measured, and it was six inches

and one-fourth in circumference. It seems very remarkable to me,

and of great honour to the Dutch, that those of them that did go

on shore to Gillingham, though they went in fear of their lives,

and were some of them killed, and notwithstanding their

provocation at Scelling, yet killed none of our people nor

plundered their houses, but did take some things of easy carriage

and left the rest, and not a house burned; and which is to our

eternal disgrace, that; what my Lord Douglas's men, who come

after them, found there, they plundered and took all away; and

the watermen that carried us did further tell us, that our own

soldiers are far more terrible to those people of the country-

towns than the Dutch themselves. We were told at the batteries,

upon my seeing of the field-guns that were there, that had they

come a day sooner they had been able to have saved all; but they

had no orders, and lay lingering upon the way. Several

complaints, I hear, of the Monmouth's coming away too soon from

the chaine, where she was placed with the two guard-ships to

secure it; and Captain Robert Clerke, my friend, is blamed for so

doing there, but I hear nothing of him at London about it; but

Captain Brookes's running aground with the "Sancta Maria," which

was one of the three ships that were ordered to be sunk to have

dammed up the River at the chaine, is mightily cried against, and

with reason. It is a strange thing to see, that while my Lords

Douglas and Middleton do ride up and down upon single horses, my

Lord Brouncker do go up and down with his hackney coach and six

horses at the King's charge, and is not able to do so much good

as a good boatswain in this business.

JULY 2, 1667. To the office, where W. Pen and myself and Sir T.

Harvey met, the first time we have had a meeting since the coming

of the Dutch upon this coast.

3rd. Sir Richard Ford tells us how he hath been at the Sessions-

house, and there it is plain that there is a combination of

rogues in the town that do make it their business to set houses

on fire, and that one house they did set on fire in Aldersgate-

street last Easter; and that this is proved by two young men,

whom one of them debauched by degrees to steal their fathers'

plate and clothes, and at last to be of their company. One of

these boys is a son of a Montagu, of my Lord Manchester's family.

To the Council-chamber, to deliver a letter to their Lordships

about the state of the six merchantmen which we have been so long

-fitting out. When I come, the King and the whole table full of

Lords were hearing of a pitifull cause of a complaint of an old

man with a great grey beard against his son, for not allowing him

something to live on; and at last come to the ordering the son to

allow his father 10l. a-year. This cause lasted them near two

hours; which, methinks, at this time to be the work of the

Council-board of England, is a scandalous thing. Here I find all

the news is the enemy's landing 3000 men near Harwich, and

attacking Landguard Fort, and being beat off thence with our

great guns, killing some of their men, and they leaving their

ladders behind them; but we had no horse in the way on Suffolke

side, otherwise we might have galled their foot. The Duke of

York is gone down thither this day, while the Generall sat

sleeping this afternoon at the Council-table.

4th. To the Sessions-house, where I have a mind to hear Bazill

Fielding's case tried; and so got up to the Bench, my Lord Chief-

Justice Keeling [Sir John Keeling, Knight, King's Serjeant 1661,

Chief Justice of the King's Bench 1665.] being Judge. Here I

stood bare, not challenging, though I might well enough, to be

covered. But here were several fine trials; among others,

several brought in for making it their trade to set houses on

fire merely to get plunder; and all proved by the two little boys

spoken of yesterday by Sir R. Ford, who did give so good account

of particulars that I never heard children in my life. One my

Lady Montagu's (I know not what Lady Montagu) son, and the other

of good condition, were playing in Moore-fields, and one rogue,

Gabriel Holmes, did come to them and teach them to drink, and

then to bring him plate and clothes from their fathers' houses:

and this Gabriel Holmes did advise to have had two houses set on

fire, one after another, that while they were quenching of one

they might be burning another. The boys did swear against one of

them, that he had made it his part to pull out the plug out of

the engine while it was a-playing; and it really was so. Well,

this fellow Holmes was found guilty of the act of burning the

house, and other things that he stood indicted for. It was time

very well spent to be here. Here I saw how favourable the Judge

was to a young gentleman that struck one of the officers, for not

making him room: told him he had endangered the loss of his

hand, but that he hoped he had not struck him, and would suppose

that he had not struck him. The Court then rose, and I to dinner

with my Lord Mayor and Sheriffs; where a good dinner and good

discourse, the Judge being there. There was also tried this

morning Fielding (which I thought had been Bazill, but it proved

the other, and Bazill was killed,) that killed his brother, who

was found guilty of murder, and nobody pitied him. The Judge

seems to be a worthy man, and able; and do intend for these

rogues that burned this house to be hung in some conspicuous

place in the town, for an example.

6th. Mr. Williamson told me that Mr. Coventry is coming over

with a project of a peace; which, if the States agree to, and our

King when their Ministers on both sides have showed it them, we

shall agree, and that is all: but the King, I hear, do give it

out plain that the peace is concluded. This day with great

satisfaction I hear that my Lady Jemimah is brought to bed, at

Hinchingbroke, of a boy [In 1681 created Baron Carteret of

Hawnes, co. Bedford, in consideration of the eminent services

rendered by his grandfather and father to Charles II.]

7th (Lord's day). Mr. Moor tells me that the discontented

Parliament-men are fearful that the next sitting the King will

try for a general excise by which to raise him money, and then to

fling off the Parliament, and raise a land-army and keep them all

down like slaves; and it is gotten among them that Bab. May, the

Privy-purse, hath been heard to say that 300l. a-year is enough

for any country-gentleman; which makes them mad, and they do talk

of 6 or 800,000l. gone into the Privy-purse this war, when in

King James's time it arose but to 5000l., and in King Charles's

but 10,000l. in a year. He tells me that a goldsmith in town

told him, that being with some plate with my Lady Castlemaine

lately, she directed her woman (the great beauty,) "Willson,"

sayes she, "Make a note for this and for that to the Privy-purse

for money." He tells me a little more of the basenesse of the

courses taken at Court in the case of Mr. Moyer, who is at

liberty, and is to give 500l. for his liberty; but now the great

ones are divided who shall have the money, the Duke of Albemarle

on one hand, and another Lord on the other; and that it is fain

to be decided by having the person's name put into the King's

warrant for his liberty, at whose intercession the King shall own

that he is set at liberty: which is a most lamentable thing,

that we do professedly own that we do these things, not for right

and justice' sake, but only to gratify this or that person about

the King. God forgive us all!

8th. Mr. Coventry is come from Bredah, as was expected; but,

contrary to expectation, brings with him two or three articles

which do not please the King: as to retrench the Act of

Navigation, and then to ascertain what are contraband goods; and

then that those exiled persons, who are or shall take refuge in

their country, may be secure from any further prosecution.

Whether these will be enough to break the Peace upon, or no, he

cannot tell; but I perceive the certainty of peace is blown over.

To Charing Cross, there to see the great boy and girle that are

lately come out of Ireland, the latter eight, the former but four

years old, of most prodigious bigness for their age. I tried to

weigh them in my arms, and and them twice as heavy as people

almost twice their age; and yet I am apt to believe they are very

young. Their father a little sorry fellow, and their mother an

old Irish woman. They have had four children of this bigness,

and four of ordinary growth, whereof two of each are dead. If

(as my Lord Ormond certifies) it be true that they are no older,

it is very monstrous.

9th. This evening news comes for certain that the Dutch are with

their fleet before Dover, and that it is expected they will

attempt something there. The business of the peace is quite

dashed again.

12th. The Duke of Buckingham was before the Council the other

day, and there did carry it very submissively and pleasingly to

the King; but to my Lord Arlington, who do prosecute the

business, he was most bitter and sharp, and very slighting. As

to the letter about his employing a man to cast the King's

nativity, says he to the King, "Sir, this is none of my hand, and

I refer it to your Majesty whether you do not know this hand."

The King answered, that it was indeed none of his, and that he

knew whose it was, but could not recall it presently. "Why,"

says he, "it is my sister of Richmond's, [Mary, daughter of

George Villiers first Duke of Buckingham; married first, to

Charles Lord Herbert; secondly, to James Duke of Richmond and

Lenox; and thirdly, to Thomas Howard, brother to Charles Earl of

Carlisle. She left no issue by any of her husbands.] some

frolick or other of hers about some certain person: and there is

nothing of the King's name in it, but it is only said to be his

by supposition, as is said." The King, it seems, was not very

much displeased with what the Duke had said; but however, he is

still in the Tower, and no discourse of his being out in haste,

though my Lady Caatlemaine hath so far solicited for him that the

King and she are quite fallen out: he comes not to her, nor hath

for some three or four days; and parted with very foul words, the

King calling her a jade that meddled with things she had nothing

to do with at all: and she calling him fool; and told him if he

was not a fool he would not suffer his businesses to be carried

on by fools that did not understand them, and cause his best

subjects, and those best able to serve him, to be imprisoned;

meaning the Duke of Buckingham. And it seems she was not only

for his liberty, but to be restored to all his places; which, it

is thought, he will never be. It was computed that the

Parliament had given the King for this war only, besides all

prizes, and besides the 200,000l. which he was to spend of his

own revenue, to guard the sea above 5,000,000l. and odd

100,000l.; which is a most prodigious sum. It is strange how

everybody do now-a-days reflect upon Oliver, and commend him,

what brave things he did, and made all the neighbour princes fear

him; while here a prince, come in with all the love and prayers

and good liking of his people, who have given greater signs of

loyalty and willingness to serve him with their estates that ever

was done by any people, hath lost all so soon, that it is a

miracle what way a man could devise to lose so much in so little

time. Sir Thomas Crewe tells me how I am mightily in esteem with

the Parliament; there being harangues made in the House to the

Speaker, of Mr. Pepys's readiness and civility to show them

everything.

13th. Mr. Pierce tells us what troubles me, that my Lord

Buckhurst hath got Nell away from the King's house, and gives her

100l. a-year, so as she hath sent her parts to the house, and

will act no more and yesterday Sir Thomas Crewe told me that Lacy

lies a-dying; nor will receive any ghostly advice from a bishop,

an old acquaintance of his, that went to see him. It is an odd

and sad thing to say, that though this be a peace worse than we

had before, yet everybody's fear almost is, that the Dutch will

not stand by their promise, now the King hath consented to all

they would have. And yet no wise man that I meet with, when he

comes to think of it, but wishes with all his heart a war; but

that the King is not a man to be trusted with the management of

it. It was pleasantly said by a man in this City, a stranger, to

one that told him the peace was concluded, "Well," says he, "and

have you a peace?" "Yes," says the other. "Why then," says he,

"hold your peace!" Partly reproaching us with the disgracefulness

of it, that it is not fit to be mentioned; and next, that we are

not able to make the Dutch keep it, when they have a mind to

break it.

14th. To Epsum, by eight o'clock, to the well; where much

company. And to the towne to the King's Head; and hear that my

Lord Buckhurst and Nelly are lodged at the next house, and Sir

Charles Sedley with them: and keep a merry house. Poor girl!

I pity her; but more the loss of her at the King's house. Here

Tom Wilson come to see me, and sat and talked an hour: and I

perceive he hath been much acquainted with Dr. Fuller (Tom) and

Dr. Pierson, and several of the great cavalier parsons during the

late troubles; and I was glad to hear him talk of them, which he

did very ingenuously, and very much of Dr. Fuller's art of

memory, which he did tell me several instances of. By and by he

parted, and I talked with the two women that farm the well at

12l. per annum of the lord of the manor. Mr. Evelyn with his

lady, and also my Lord George Barkeley's lady, [Elizabeth,

daughter and co-heir of John Maasingberd, Esq.] and their fine

daughter, that the King of France liked so well, and did dance so

rich in jewells before the King at the Ball I was at at our Court

last winter, and also their son, a Knight of the Bath, [Charles,

eldest son, summoned to Parliament as Baron Berkeley, VITA

PATRIS, 1680, Ob. 1710, having succeeded his father in the

Earldom 1698.] were at church this morning. I walked upon the

Downes, where a flock of sheep was; and the most pleasant and

innocent sight that ever I saw in my life. We found a shepherd

and his little boy reading, far from any houses or sight of

people, the Bible to him; and we took notice of his wooling knit

stockings, of two colours mixed. Mrs. Turner mightily pleased

with my resolution, which, I tell her, is never to keep a

country-house, but to keep a coach, and with my wife on the

Saturday to go sometimes for a day to this place, and then quit

to another place; and there is more variety and as little charge,

and no trouble, as there is in a country-house.

17th. Home, where I was saluted with the news of Hogg's bringing

a rich Canary prize to Hull: and Sir W. Batten do offer me

1000l. down for my particular share, beside Sir Richard Ford's

part; which do tempt me; but yet I would not take it;, but will

stand and fall with the company. He and two more, the Panther

and Fanfan, did enter into consortship; and so they have all

brought in each a prize, though ours worth as much as both

theirs, and more. However, it will be well worth having, God be

thanked for it! This news makes us all very glad. I at Sir W.

Batten's did hear the particulars of it; and there for joy he did

give the company that were there a bottle or two of his own last

year's wine growing at Walthamstow, than which the whole company

said they never drank better foreign wine in their lives. The

Duke of Buckingham is, it seems, set at liberty without any

further charge against him or other clearing of him, but let to

go out; which is one of the strangest instances of the fool's

play, with which all publick things are done in this age, that is

to be apprehended. And it is said that when he was charged with

making himself popular, (as indeed he is, for many of the

discontented Parliament, Sir Robert Howard, and Sir Thomas Meres,

and others, did attend at the Council-chamber when he was

examined,) he should answer, that whoever was committed to prison

by my Lord Chancellor or my Lord Arlington, could not want being

popular. But it is worth considering the ill state a Minister of

State is in, under such a Prince as ours is; for, undoubtedly,

neither of those two great men would have been so fierce against

the Duke of Buckingham at the Council-table the other day, had

they not been assured of the King's good liking, and supporting

them therein: whereas, perhaps at the desire of my Lady

Castlemaine, (who I suppose, hath at last overcome the King,) the

Duke of Buckingham is well received again, and now these men

delivered up to the interest he can make for his revenge. He

told me over the story of Mrs. Stewart, much after the manner

which I was told it by Mr. Evelyn: only he says it is verily

believed that the King did never intend to marry her to any but

himself, and that the Duke of York and Lord Chancellor were

jealous of it: and that Mrs. Stewart might be got with child by

the King, or somebody else, and the King own a marriage before

his contract (for it is but a contract, as he tells me to this

day,) with the Queene, and so wipe their noses of the Crown; and

that, therefore, the Duke of York and Chancellor did do all they

could to forward the match with my Lord Duke of Richmond, that

she might be married out of the way: but above all, it is a

worthy part that this good lady hath acted. My sister Michell

[The wife of Balthazar St. Michel, Mrs. Pepys's brother.] come

from Lee to see us; but do tattle so much of the late business of

the Dutch coming thither that I am weary of it. Yet it is worth

remembering what she says: that she hath heard both seamen and

soldiers swear they would rather serve the Dutch than the King,

for they should be better used. She saw "The Royal Charles"

brought into the river by them; and how they shot off their great

guns for joy, when they got her out of Chatham river.

19th. One tells me that, by letter from Holland, the people

there are made to believe that our condition in England is such

as they may have whatever they will ask; and that so they are

mighty high, and despise us, or a peace with us: and there is

too much reason for them to do so. The Dutch fleet are in great

squadrons everywhere still about Harwich, and were lately at

Portsmouth; and the last letters say at Plymouth, and now gone to

Dartmouth to destroy our Streights' fleet lately got in thither:

but God knows whether they can do it any hurt, or no.

22nd. Up to my Lord Chancellor's, where was a Committee of

Tangier in my Lord's roome, where he sits to hear causes, and

where all the Judges' pictures hung up, very fine. But to see

how Sir W. Coventry did oppose both my Lord Chancellor and the

Duke of York himself, about the Order of the Commissioners of the

Treasury to me for not paying of pensions, and with so much

reason, and eloquence so natural, was admirable. And another

thing, about his pressing for the reduction of the charge of

Tangier, which they would have put off to another time; "But,"

says he, "the King suffers so much by the putting off of the

consideration of reductions of charge, that he is undone; and

therefore I do pray you, Sir, (to his Royal Highness,) that when

any thing offers of the kind, you will not let it escape you."

Here was a great bundle of letters brought hither, sent up from

sea, from a vessel of ours that hath taken them after they had

been flung over by a Dutchman; wherein, among others, the Duke of

York did read superscription of one to De Witt, thus--"To the

most wise, foreseeing, and discreet, These, &c.;" which, I

thought with myself, I could have been glad might have been duly

directed to any one of them at the table, though the greatest men

in this kingdom. The Duke of York, the Lord Chancellor, my Lord

Duke of Albemarle, Arlington, Ashly, Peterborough, and Coventry,

(the best of them all for parts,) I perceive they do all profess

their expectation of a peace, and that suddenly. Sir W. Coventry

did declare his opinion that if Tangier were offered us now, as

the King's condition is; he would advise against the taking it;

saying, that the King's charge is too great, and must be brought

down, it being like the fire of this City, never to be mastered

till you have brought it under you; and that these places abroad

are but so much charge to the King, and we do rather herein

strive to greaten them than lessen them; and then the King is

forced to part with them "as," says he, "he did with Dunkirke, by

my Lord Tiviott's making it so chargeable to the King as he did

that, and would have done Tangier, if he had lived." I perceive

he is the only man that do seek the King's profit, and is bold to

deliver what he thinks on every occasion. With much pleasure

reflecting upon our discourse to-day at the Tangier meeting, and

crying up the worth of Sir W. Coventry. Creed tells me of the

fray between the Duke of Buckingham at the Duke's playhouse the

last Saturday, (and it is the first day I have heard that they

have acted at either the King's or Duke's houses this month or

six weeks), and Henry Killigrew, whom the Duke of Buckingham did

soundly beat and take away his sword, and make a fool of, till

the fellow prayed him to spare his life; and I am glad of it, for

it seems in this business the Duke of Buckingham did carry

himself very innocently and well, and I wish he had paid this

fellow's coat well. I heard something of this at the 'Change to-

day: and it is pretty to hear how people do speak kindly of the

Duke of Buckingham, as one that will enquire into faults; and

therefore they do mightily favour him. And it puts me in mind

that, this afternoon, Billing the Quaker meeting me in the Hall,

come to me, and after a little discourse did say, "Well," says

he, "now you will be all called to an account;" meaning the

Parliament is drawing near.

23rd. By and by comes sudden news to me by letter from the

Clerke of the Cheque at Gravesend, that there were thirty sail of

Dutch men-of-war coming up into the Hope this last tide: which I

told Sir W. Pen of; but he would not believe it, but laughed, and

said it was a fleet of Billanders, and that the guns that were

heard was the salutation of the Swede's Embassador that comes

over with them. But within half an hour comes another letter

from Captain Proud, that eight of them were come into the Hope,

and thirty more following them, at ten this morning. By and by

comes an order from White Hall to send down one of our number to

Chatham, fearing that, as they did before, they may make a show

first up hither, but then go to Chatham: so my Lord Brouncker do

go, and we here are ordered to give notice to the merchant men-

of-war, gone below the barricado at Woolwich, to come up again.

24th. Betimes this morning comes a letter from the Clerk of the

Cheque at Gravesend to me, to tell me that the Dutch fleet did

come all into the Hope yesterday noon, and held a fight with our

ships from thence till seven at night; that they had burned

twelve fire-ships, and we took one of theirs, and burned five of

our fire-ships. But then rising and going to Sir W. Batten, he

tells me that we have burned one of their men-of-war, and another

of theirs is blown up: but how true this is, I know not. But

these fellows are mighty bold, and have had the fortune of the

wind easterly this time to bring them up, and prevent our

troubling them with our fire-ships; and, indeed, have had the

winds at their command from the beginning, and now do take the

beginning of the spring, as if they had some great design to do.

About five o'clock down to Gravesend; and as we come nearer

Gravesend, we hear the Dutch fleet and ours a-firing their guns

most distinctly and loud. So I landed and discoursed with the

landlord of the Ship, who undeceives me in what I heard this

morning about the Dutch having lost two men-of-war, for it is not

so, but several of their fire-ships. He do say, that this

afternoon they did force our ships to retreat, but that now they

are gone down as far as Shield-haven: but what the event hath

been of this evening's guns they know not, but suppose not much

for they have all this while shot at good distance one from

another. They seem confident of the security of this town and

the River above it, if ever the enemy should come up so high;

their fortifications being so good, and guns many. But he do say

that people do complain of Sir Edward Spragg, that he hath not

done extraordinary; and more of Sir W. Jenings, that he came up

with his tamkins [Tamkin or Tompion, the stopple of a great gun.]

in his guns.

25th. I demanded of Sir R. Ford and the rest, what passed to-day

at the meeting of Parliament: who told me that, contrary to all

expectation by the King that there would be but a thin meeting,

there met above 300 this first day, and all the discontented

party; and, indeed, the whole House seems to be no other almost.

The Speaker told them, as soon as they were sat, that he was

ordered by the King to let them know he was hindered by some

important business to come to them and speak to them, as he

intended; and, therefore, ordered him to move that they would

adjourn themselves till Monday next, (it being very plain to all

the House that he expects to hear by that time of the sealing of

the peace, which by letters, it seems, from my Lord Hollis was to

be sealed the last Sunday.) But before they would come to the

question whether they would adjourn, Sir Thomas Tomkins steps up

and tells them, that all the country is grieved at this new-

raised standing-army; and that they thought themselves safe

enough in their trayn-bands: and that, therefore, he desired the

King might be moved to disband them. Then rises Garraway and

seconds him, only with this explanation, (which he said he

believed the other meant;) that, as soon as peace should be

concluded, they might be disbanded. Then rose Sir W. Coventry,

and told them that he did approve of what the last gentleman

said; but also, that at the same time he did no more than what he

durst be bold to say he knew to be the King's mind, that as soon

as peace was concluded he would do it of himself. Then rose Sir

Thomas Littleton, and did give several reasons from the

uncertainty of their meeting again but to adjourne, (in case news

comes of the peace being ended before Monday next,) and the

possibility of the King's having some about him that may

endeavour to alter his own, and the good part of his Council's

advice, for the keeping up of the land-army: and, therefore, it

was fit that they did present it to the King as their desire,

that as soon as peace was concluded the land-army might be laid

down, and that this their request might be carried to the King by

them of their House that were Privy-councillors; which was put to

the vote, and carried NEMINE CONTRADICENTE. So after this vote

passed, they adjourned: but it is plain what the effects of this

Parliament will be, if they be suffered to sit, that they will

fall foul upon the faults of the Government; and I pray God they

may be permitted to do it, for nothing else, I fear, will save

the King and kingdom than the doing it betimes.

27th. To the office, where I hear that Sir John Coventry [Nephew

to Sir William and Henry Coventry; created K.B. at Charles II.'s

coronation, and M.P. for Weymouth in several Parliaments. The

outrage committed on his person by Sir Thomas Sandys, O'Bryan,

and others, who cut his nose to the bone, gave rise to the

passing a Bill still known by the name of "THE COVENTRY ACT."]

is come over from Bredagh, (a nephew, I think, of Sir W.

Coventry's); but what message he brings I know not. This morning

news is come that Sir Jos. Jordan is come from Harwich, with

sixteen fire-ships and four other little ships of war; and did

attempt to do some execution upon the enemy, but did, it without

discretion, as most do say, so as they have been able to do no

good, but have lost four of their fire-ships. They attempted

this, it seems, when the wind was too strong, that our grapplings

could not hold: others say we came to leeward of them, but all

condemn it as a foolish management. They are come to Sir Edward

Spragg about Lee, and the Dutch are below at the Nore. At the

office all the morning: and at noon to the 'Change, where I met

Fenn. And he tells me that Sir John Coventry do bring the

confirmation of the peace; but I do not find the 'Change at all

glad of it, but rather the worse, they looking upon it as a peace

made only to preserve the King for a time in his lusts and ease,

and to sacrifice trade and his kingdoms only to his own

pleasures; so that the hearts of merchants are quite down. He

tells me that the King and my Lady Castlemaine are quite broke

off, and she is gone away, and is with child, and swears the King

shall own it; and she will have it christened in the Chapel at

White Hall so, and owned for the King's, as other Kings have

done; or she will bring it into White Hall gallery, and dash the

brains of it out before the King's face. He tells me that the

King and Court were never in the world so bad as they are now for

gaming, swearing, women, and drinking, and the most abominable

vices that ever were in the world; so that all must come to

nought. He told me that Sir G. Carteret was at this end of the

town: so I went to visit; him in Broad-street. And there he and

I together: and he is mightily pleased with my Lady Jem's having

a son; and a mighty glad man he is. He tells me, as to news,

that; the peace is now confirmed, and all that over. He says it

was a very unhappy motion in the House the other day about the

land-army; for whether the King hath a mind of his own to do the

thing desired, or no, his doing it will be looked upon as a thing

done only in fear of the Parliament. He says that the Duke of

York is suspected to be the great man that is for raising this

army, and bringing things to be commanded by an army; but that he

do know that he is wronged therein. He do say that the Court is

in a way to ruin all for their pleasures; and says that he

himself hath once taken the liberty to tell the King the

necessity of having at least a show of religion in the

Government, and sobriety; and that it was that that did set up

and keep up Oliver, though he was the greatest rogue in the

world. He tells me the King adheres to no man, but this day

delivers himself up to this and the next to that, to the ruin of

himself and business: that he is at the command of any woman

like a slave, though he be the best man to the Queene in the

world, with so much respect, and never lies a night from her; but

yet cannot command himself in the presence of a woman he likes.

It raining this day all day to our great joy, it having not

rained, I think, this month before, so as the ground was every

where so burned and dry as could be; and no travelling in the

road or streets in London, for dust.

28th. All the morning close to draw up a letter to Sir W.

Coventry upon the tidings of peace, taking occasion (before I am

forced to it) to resign up to his Royall Highness my place of the

Victualling, and to recommend myself to him by promise of doing

my utmost to improve this peace in the best manner we may, to

save the kingdom from ruin.