nor, I fear, any general good scholar, for I do not see that he minds optickes or mathematiques of any sort, nor anything else that I can find. I know not what he may be at divinity and ordinary schoollearning. However, he seems sober, and that pleases me. After dinner I took him and my wife and Barker (for so is our new woman called, and is yet but a sorry girle), and set them down at Unthanke's, and so to White Hall, and there found some of my brethren with the Duke of York, but so few I put off the meeting. We staid and hear the Duke discourse, which he did mighty scurrilously, of the French, and with reason, that they should give Beaufort1 orders when he was to bring, and did bring, his fleete hither, that his rendezvous for his fleete, and for all sluggs to come to, should be between Calais and Dover; which did prove the taking of La Roche, who, among other sluggs behind, did, by their instructions, make for that place, to rendezvous with the fleete; and Beaufort, seeing them as he was returning, took them for the English fleete, and wrote word to the King of France that he had passed by the English fleete, and the English fleete durst not meddle with him. The Court is all full of vests, only my Lord St. Albans not pinked but plain black; and they say the King says the pinking upon whites makes them look too much like magpyes, and therefore hath bespoke one of plain velvet. Thence to St. James's by coach, and spoke, at four o'clock or five, with Sir W. Coventry, newly come from the House, where they have sat all this day

1 François de Vendôme, Duc de Beaufort, well known in the annals of France, was born in 1616, and in 1664 and 1665 commanded a naval expedition against the African corsairs. (See 11th October, 1664, ante.) The following year he had the charge of a fleet intended to act in concert with the Dutch against England, but which was merely sent out as a political demonstration. He was killed at the siege of Candia in 1669.

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and not come to an end of the debate how the money shall be raised. He tells me that what I posed to him the other day was what he had himself thought on and determined, and believes it will speedily be done-the making Sir J. Minnes a Commissioner, and bringing somebody else to be Comptroller, and that (which do not please me, I confess, for my own particular, so well as Sir J. Minnes) will, I fear, be Sir W. Pen, for he is the only fit man for it. Home, and late upon making up an account for the Board to pass to-morrow, if I can get there, for the clearing all my imprest1 bills, which if I can do, will be to my very good satisfaction. Having done this, then to supper and to bed.

18th. To the office, where we sat all the morning. The waters so high in the roads, by the late rains, that our letters came not in till to-day. My Lord Brouncker proffered to carry me and my wife into a play at Court to-night, and to lend me his coach home, which tempted me much; but I shall not do it. Homewards, met my wife, and so away by coach towards Lovett's; in the way wondering at what a good pretty wench our Barker makes, being now put into good clothes, and fashionable, at my charge; but it becomes her, so that I do not now think much of it, and is an example of the power of good clothes and dress. To Lovett's house, where I stood godfather. But it was pretty, that, being a Protestant, a man stood by and was my Proxy to answer for me. A priest christened it, and the boy's name is Samuel. The ceremonies many, and some foolish. The priest in a gentleman's dress, more than my

1 See note 28th November, 1660, and "Notes and Queries," 1st series, vol. ii. page 40: "When a person fulfilling any employment under any of the Government Boards has occasion to draw 'money on account,' an 'imprest' addressed to the paymaster under that Board is issued for the required sum." (M. B.)

owne; but is a Capuchin, one of the Queenemother's priests. He did give my proxy and the woman proxy (my Lady Bills,' absent, had a proxy also,) good advice to bring up the child, and, at the end, that he ought never to marry the child nor the godmother, nor the godmother the child or the godfather: but, which is strange, they say the mother of the child and the godfather may marry. By and by the Lady Bills came in, a well-bred but crooked woman. The poor people of the house had good wine, and a good cake; and she a pretty woman in her lying-in dress. It cost me near 40s. the whole christening to midwife 20s., nurse 10s., mayde 2s. 6d., and the coach 5s. The business of buying off the Chimney-money is passed in the House; and so the King to be satisfied some other way, and the King supplied with the money raised by this purchasing off of the chimnies. So home, mightily pleased in mind that I have got my bills of imprest cleared by bills signed this day, to my good satisfaction. To supper, and to bed.

19th. To Povy's, who continues as much confounded in all his business as ever he was; and would have had me paid money, as like a fool as himself, which I troubled him in refusing; but I did persist in it. After a little more discourse, I to White Hall, where I met with Sir Robert Viner, who told me a little of what, in going home, I had seen; also a little of the disorder and mutiny among the seamen at the Treasurer's office, which did trouble me then and all day, considering how many more seamen will come

1 Lady Diana Fane, daughter of Mildmay Fane, second Earl of Westmoreland, widow of Edward Pelham, Esq., of Brocklesby, in Lincolnshire, remarried John Bills, Esq., of Caen Wood, Highgate. Her only child, Diana, by her second husband, died the widow of Captain Francis D'Arcy Savage, 23rd May, 1726, and is buried at Barnes. Lady Diana Bills was at this time in her 36th year.

to towne every day, and no money for them. A Parliament sitting, and the Exchange close by, and an enemy to hear of, and laugh at it.' Viner too, and Backewell, were sent for this afternoon; and was before the King and his Cabinet about money; they declaring they would advance no more, it being discoursed of in the House of Parliament for the King to issue out his privy-seals to them to command them to trust him, which gives them reason to decline trusting. But more money they are persuaded to lend, but so little that, (with horrour I speake it) coming after the Council was up, with Sir G. Carteret, Sir W. Coventry, Lord Brouncker, and myself, I did lay the state of our condition before the Duke of York, that the fleete could not go out without several things it wanted, and we could not have without money, particularly rum and bread, which we had promised the man Sway to helpe him to 2007. of his debt, and a few other small sums of 200l. a piece to some others, and that I do forsee the Duke of Yorke would call us to an account why the fleete is not abroad, and we cannot answer otherwise than our want of money; and that indeed we do not do the King any service now, but do rather abuse and betray his service by being there, and seeming to do something, while we do not. G. Carteret asked me (just in these words, for in this and all the rest I set down the very words for memory sake, if there should be occasion,) whether 50l. or 60l. would do us any good; and when I told him the very rum man' must have 200l., he held up his eyes as if we had asked a million. Sir W. Coventry told the Duke of Yorke plainly he did rather desire to have his commission called in than serve in so ill a place, where he cannot do the King I War was declared against Denmark this day. 2 Mr. Sway. (M. B.)

Sir

This

service, and I did concur in saying the same. was all very plain, and the Duke of York did confess that he did not see how we could do anything without a present supply of 20,000l., and that he would speak to the King next Council day, and I promised to wait on him to put him in mind of it. This I set down for my future justification, if need be, and so we broke up, and all parted. So I home by coach, considering what the consequence of all this must be in a little time. Nothing but distraction and confusion; which makes me wish with all my heart, that I were well and quietly settled with what little I have got at Brampton, where I might live peaceably, and study, and pray for the good of the King and my country. Home, and to Sir W. Batten's, who was at the pay to day, and tells me how rude the men were, but did go away quietly, being promised pay on Wednesday next. God send us money for it! So to the office, and then to supper and to bed. Among other things proposed in the House to-day, to give the King in lieu of chimneys, there was the bringing up of sealed paper, such as Sir J. Minnes showed me to-night, at Sir W. Batten's, is used in Spayne, and brings the King a great revenue; but it shows what shifts we are put

to too much.

20th. I walked a good while with Mr. Gauden in the garden, who is lately come from the fleete at the buoy of the Nore, and he do tell me how all the sober commanders, and even Sir Thomas Allen himself, do complain of the ill government of the fleete. How Holmes and Jennings have commanded all the fleete this yeare, that nothing is done upon deliberation, but if a sober man gives his opinion. otherwise than the Prince would have it the Prince would cry, "D——n him, do you follow your orders, and that is enough for you." He tells me he hears