26th. Up, and all the morning within doors, beginning to set my accounts in order from before this fire, I being behind-hand with them ever since; and this day I got most of my tradesmen to bring in their bills, and paid them. Nothing done in the House yet, as to finishing the bill for money, which is a mighty sad thing, all lying at stake for it.

27th. Up, and there comes to see me my Lord Bellassis, which was a great honour. He tells me great news, yet but what I suspected-that Vernatty is fled, and so hath cheated him, and twenty more, but most of all I doubt Mr. Povy. He tells me how the two Houses begin to be troublesome; the Lords to have quarrels one with another. My Lord Duke of Buckingham having said to the Lord Chancellor, who is against the passing of the Bill for prohibiting the bringing over of Irish cattle, that whoever was against the Bill, was there led to it by an Irish interest, or an Irish understanding, which is as much as to say he is a fool; this bred heat from my Lord Chancellor, and something he said did offend my Lord of Ossory, my Lord Duke of Ormond's son, and they two had hard words, upon which the latter sends a challenge to the former; of which the former complains to the House, and so the business is to be heard on Monday next. Then, as to the Com

1 The proceedings on the 27th are not clearly stated. According to Clarendon, this Bill was urgently pressed forward in the House of Lords by the Duke of Buckingham. The debate became most disorderly, especially on the part of its promoters. On the Duke making the remark above quoted, Lord Ossory, not trusting himself with a reply in the House, challenged Buckingham privately. This the Duke endeavoured to avoid, and was found in a place not fixed for the meeting. On the following

mons: some ugly knives, like poignards, to stab people with, about two or three hundred of them were brought in yesterday to the House, found in one of the house's rubbish that was burned, and said to be the house of a Catholique. This and several letters out of the country, saying how high the Catholiques are every where, and bold in the owning their religion, have made the Commons mad, and they presently voted that the King be desired to put all Catholiques out of employment, and other high things; while the business of money hangs in the hedge. Home to dinner, where Mrs. Pierce and her boy and Knipp, who sings as well, and is the best company in the world, dined with us, and infinite merry. The playhouses begin to play next week. Towards evening, I took them out to the New Exchange, and there my wife bought things, and I did give each of them a pair of jesimy plain gloves, and another of white. Here Knipp and I walked up and down to see handsome faces, and did see several. Then carried each of them home, and, with great pleasure and content, home myself.

28th. Captain Guy to dine with me, and he and I much talk together. He cries out of the discipline of the fleet, and confesses really that the true English valour we talk of is almost spent and worn out; few of the commanders doing what they should do, and he much fears we shall therefore be beaten the next year. He assures me we were beaten home the last June fight, and that the whole fleet was ashamed to hear of our

morning, he informed the House of the affair. Clarendon regards the whole as a "gross shift' on the part of the Duke. Both parties were sent to the Tower. The Bill was subsequently passed.

VOL. III.

Y

bonfires. He commends Smith, and cries out of Holmes for an idle, proud, conceited, though stout fellow. He tells me we are to owe the loss of so many ships on the sands, not to any fault of the pilots, but to the weather; but in this I have good authority to fear there was something more. He says the Dutch do fight in very good order, and we in none at all. He says that in the July fight, both the Prince and Holmes had their belly-fulls, and were fain to go aside; though, if the wind had continued, we had utterly beaten them. He do confess the whole to be governed by a company of fools, and fears our ruine. The Revenge having her forecastle blown up with powder, to the killing of some men in the River, and the Dyamond's being overset in the careening at Sheernese, are further marks of the method all the King's work is now done in. The Foresight, also, and another come to disasters in the same place this week, in the cleaning; which is strange.

29th. Up, and to the office to do business, and thither comes to me Sir Thomas Teddiman, and he and I walked a good while in the garden together, discoursing of the disorder and discipline of the fleet, wherein he told me how bad every thing is; but was very wary in speaking any thing to the dishonour of the Prince or Duke of Albemarle, but do magnify my Lord Sandwich much before them both, for ability to serve the King, and do heartily wish for him here; for he fears that we shall be undone the next year, but that he will, however, see an end of it. To Westminster; and I find the new Lord Mayor Bolton' a-swearing at the Exchequer, with some of the Aldermen and Livery; but, 1 Sir William Bolton, Merchant-Tailor.

Lord! to see how meanely they now look, who upon this day used to be all little lords, is a sad sight, and worthy consideration; and every body did reflect with pity upon the poor City, to which they are now coming to choose and swear their Lord Mayor, compared with what it heretofore was. To my goldsmith, to bid him look out for some gold for me; and he tells me that ginnys, which I bought 2000 of not long ago, and cost me but 184d. change, will now cost me 22d.; and but very few to be had at any price. However, some more I will have, for they are very convenient, and of easy disposal. To White Hall, and into the new playhouse there, the first time I ever was there, and the first play I have seen since before the great plague. By and by, Mr. Pierce comes, bringing my wife and his, and Knipp. By and by, the King and Queen, Duke and Duchesse, and all the great ladies of the Court; which, indeed, was a fine sight. But the play being "Love in a Tub," a silly play, and though done by the Duke's people, yet having neither Betterton nor his wife, and the whole thing done ill, and being ill also, I had no manner of pleasure in the play. Besides, the House, though very fine, yet bad for the voice, for hearing. The sight of the ladies, indeed, was exceeding noble; and, above all, my Lady Castlemaine. The play done by ten o'clock.

30th. Mr. Hater staying most of the afternoon abroad, he come to me, poor man, to make excuse, and it was that he had been looking out for a little house

1 The Comical Revenge, or Love in a Tub, a Comedy, by Sir George Etherege.

2 See note, vol. ii., p. 278.

for his family. His wife being much frightened in the country with the discourses of troubles and disorders like to be, and therefore durst not be from him, he is forced to bring her to town. This is now the general apprehension of all people: particulars I do not know, but my own fears are also great, and I do think it time to look out to save something, if a storm should

come.

November 1st. Up, and was presented by Burton, one of our smith's wives, with a very noble cake, which I presently resolved to have my wife go with to-day, and some wine, and house-warm my Betty Michell, which she readily resolved to do. From dinner, my wife and my brother, and W. Hewer and Barker, away to Betty Michell's, to Shadwell.

2d. On board the Ruby, French prize, the only ship of war we have taken from any of our enemies this year. It seems a very good ship, but with galleries quite round the sterne, to walk in as a balcone, which will be taken down. She had also about forty good brass guns, but will make little amends to our loss in the Prince. I also did buy some apples and pork, by the same token the butcher commended it as the best in England for cloath and colour. And for his beef, says he, "look how fat it is, the lean appears only here and there a speck, like beauty-spots.”

3rd. This morning comes Mr. Lovett, and brings me my print of the Passion, varnished by him, and the frame black, which indeed is very fine, though not so fine as I expected; however, pleases me exceedingly. This, and the sheets of paper he prepared for me, come to £3; and though it be more than is fit to lay out on