people. About noon out with Commissioner Pett, and he and I to a
Coffee-house, to drink jocolatte, very good; and so by coach to
Westminster, being the first day of the Parliament's meeting. After the
House had received the King's speech, and what more he had to say,
delivered in writing, the Chancellor being sicke, it rose, and I with Sir
Philip Warwicke home and conferred our matters about the charge of the
Navy, and have more to give him in the excessive charge of this year's
expense. I dined with him, and Mr. Povy with us and Sir Edmund Pooly, a
fine gentleman, and Mr. Chichly, and fine discourse we had and fine talke,
being proud to see myself accepted in such company and thought better than
I am. After dinner Sir Philip and I to talk again, and then away home to
the office, where sat late; beginning our sittings now in the afternoon,
because of the Parliament; and they being rose, I to my office, where late
till almost one o'clock, and then home to bed.
25th. Up and at my office all the morning, to prepare an account of the
charge we have been put to extraordinary by the Dutch already; and I have
brought it to appear L852,700; but God knows this is only a scare to the
Parliament, to make them give the more money. Thence to the Parliament
House, and there did give it to Sir Philip Warwicke; the House being hot
upon giving the King a supply of money, and I by coach to the 'Change and
took up Mr. Jenings along with me (my old acquaintance), he telling me the
mean manner that Sir Samuel Morland lives near him, in a house he hath
bought and laid out money upon, in all to the value of L1200, but is
believed to be a beggar; and so I ever thought he would be. From the
'Change with Mr. Deering and Luellin to the White Horse tavern in Lombard
Street, and there dined with them, he giving me a dish of meat to
discourse in order to my serving Deering, which I am already obliged to
do, and shall do it, and would be glad he were a man trusty that I might
venture something along with him. Thence home, and by and by in the
evening took my wife out by coach, leaving her at Unthanke's while I to
White Hall and to Westminster Hall, where I have not been to talk a great
while, and there hear that Mrs. Lane and her husband live a sad life
together, and he is gone to be a paymaster to a company to Portsmouth to
serve at sea. She big with child. Thence I home, calling my wife, and at
Sir W. Batten's hear that the House have given the King L2,500,000 to be
paid for this warr, only for the Navy, in three years' time; which is a
joyfull thing to all the King's party I see, but was much opposed by Mr.
Vaughan and others, that it should be so much. So home and to supper and
to bed.
26th. Up and to the office, where busy all the morning. Home a while to
dinner and then to the office, where very late busy till quite weary, but
contented well with my dispatch of business, and so home to supper and to
bed.
27th (Lord's day). To church in the morning, then dined at home, and to
my office, and there all the afternoon setting right my business of
flaggs, and after all my pains find reason not to be sorry, because I
think it will bring me considerable profit. In the evening come Mr.
Andrews and Hill, and we sung, with my boy, Ravenscroft's 4-part psalms,
most admirable musique. Then (Andrews not staying) we to supper, and
after supper fell into the rarest discourse with Mr. Hill about Rome and
Italy; but most pleasant that I ever had in my life. At it very late and
then to bed.
28th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes and W. Batten to White Hall, but no
Committee of Lords (which is like to do the King's business well). So to
Westminster, and there to Jervas's and was a little while with Jane, and
so to London by coach and to the Coffee-house, where certain news of our
peace made by Captain Allen with Argier, which is good news; and that the
Dutch have sent part of their fleete round by Scotland; and resolve to pay
off the rest half-pay, promising the rest in the Spring, hereby keeping
their men. But how true this, I know not. Home to dinner, then come Dr.
Clerke to speak with me about sick and wounded men, wherein he is like to
be concerned. After him Mr. Cutler, and much talk with him, and with him
to White Hall, to have waited on the Lords by order, but no meeting,
neither to-night, which will spoil all. I think I shall get something by
my discourse with Cutler. So home, and after being at my office an hour
with Mr. Povy talking about his business of Tangier, getting him some
money allowed him for freight of ships, wherein I hope to get something
too. He gone, home hungry and almost sick for want of eating, and so to
supper and to bed.
29th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten to the Committee of Lords at the Council
Chamber, where Sir G. Carteret told us what he had said to the King, and
how the King inclines to our request of making us Commissioners of the
Prize office, but meeting him anon in the gallery, he tells me that my
Lord Barkely is angry we should not acquaint him with it, so I found out
my Lord and pacified him, but I know not whether he was so in earnest or
no, for he looked very frowardly. Thence to the Parliament House, and
with Sir W. Batten home and dined with him, my wife being gone to my Lady
Sandwich's, and then to the office, where we sat all the afternoon, and I
at my office till past 12 at night, and so home to bed. This day I hear
that the King should say that the Dutch do begin to comply with him. Sir
John Robinson told Sir W. Batten that he heard the King say so. I pray
God it may be so.
30th. Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes to the Committee of
the Lords, and there did our business; but, Lord! what a sorry dispatch
these great persons give to business. Thence to the 'Change, and there
hear the certainty and circumstances of the Dutch having called in their
fleete and paid their men half-pay, the other to be paid them upon their
being ready upon beat of drum to come to serve them again, and in the
meantime to have half-pay. This is said. Thence home to dinner, and so to
my office all the afternoon. In the evening my wife and Sir W. Warren
with me to White Hall, sending her with the coach to see her father and
mother. He and I up to Sir G. Carteret, and first I alone and then both
had discourse with him about things of the Navy, and so I and he calling
my wife at Unthanke's, home again, and long together talking how to order
things in a new contract for Norway goods, as well to the King's as to his
advantage. He gone, I to my monthly accounts, and, bless God! I find I
have increased my last balance, though but little; but I hope ere long to
get more. In the meantime praise God for what I have, which is L1209.
So, with my heart glad to see my accounts fall so right in this time of
mixing of monies and confusion, I home to bed.
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