one of the most ridiculous sights that ever I did see, though her present dress was well enough; but to live in the condition they do at home, and be abroad in this coach, astonishes me. When we had spent half an hour in the Park, we went out again, weary of the dust, and despairing of seeing my Lady Newcastle; and to St. James's. But we staying by the way to drink, she got home a little before us: so we lost our labours, and then home; where we find the two young ladies come home, and their patches off; I suppose Sir W. Pen do not allow of them in his sight. Sir W. Pen did give me an account this afternoon of his design of buying Sir Robert Brooke's fine house at Wansted; which I so wondered at, and did give him reasons against it, which he allowed of: and told me that he did intend to pull down the house and build a less, and that he should get 1,500l. by the old house, and I know not what fooleries. But I will never believe he ever intended to buy it, for my part; though he troubled Mr. Gauden to go and look upon it, and advise him in it.

2nd. To my Lord Treasurer's, who continues so ill as not to be troubled with business.

3rd. To the Duke of York's chamber, which, as it is now fretted at the top, and the chimney-piece made handsome, is one of the noblest and best-proportioned rooms that ever, I think, I saw. Among other things, we had a proposition of Mr. Pierce's, for being continued in pay, or something done for him, in reward of his pains as Chyrurgeon-Generall; forasmuch as Troutbecke, that was never a doctor before, hath got 200l. a year settled on him for nothing but that one voyage with the Duke of Albe

1 Pepys's conjecture proved right. The house was not sold till Sir R. Brookes's death, when his heirs alienated it to Sir Josiah Child.

2 See Nov. 4, 1666, ante.

3

marle. The Duke and the whole company did show most particular kindness to Mr. Pierce, every body moving for him, and the Duke himself most, that he is likely to be a very great man, I believe. To Westminster by coach; the Cofferer1 telling us odd stories how he was dealt with by the men of the Church at Westminster in taking a lease of them at the King's coming in, and particularly the devilish covetousness of Dr. Busby. Sir Stephen Fox, in discourse, told him how he is selling some land he hath, which yields him not above three per cent., if so much, and turning it into money, which he can put out at ten per cent.; and, as times go, if they be like to continue, it is the best way for me to keep money going so, for aught I see. Took a turn with my old acquaintance Mr. Pechell, whose red nose makes me ashamed to be seen with him, though otherwise a good-natured man. So away, I not finding of Mr. Moore, with whom I should have met and spoke about a letter I this day received from him from my Lord Hinchingbroke, wherein he desires me to help him to 1,900l. to pay a bill of exchange of his father's, which troubles me much, but I will find some way, if I can do it, but not to bring myself in bonds or disbursements for it, whatever comes of it.

1 William Ashburnham.

2 The lease here mentioned was of one of the prebendal mansions in the Cloisters, known as Ashburnham House. The Cottonian Library was deposited in it at a later period; and, in 1731, the disastrous fire occurred there which consumed so many treasures, and injured others. It was the residence of the Rev. H. H. Milman, one of the Canons of Westminster, until his elevation to the Deanery of St. Paul's in 1849. A view of the fine staircase, still existing in old Ashburnham House, is given in Britton and Brayley's "Public Buildings."

3 Richard Busby, D.D., Master of Westminster School, and, in 1660, made a Prebendary of Westminster. He proved, at all events, a liberal benefactor to Christ Church, Oxford, and Lichfield Cathedral. Ob. 1695, aged 89.

My wife and I, it being a most curious clear evening, after some rain to-day, took a most excellent tour by coach to Bow, and there drank and back again, and so a little at the office and home to read a little and to supper and bed, mightily refreshed with this evening's tour, but troubled that it has hindered my doing some business which I would have done at the office. This day the newes is come that the fleete of the Dutch, of about 20 ships, which came upon our coasts upon design to have intercepted our colliers, but by good luck failed, is gone to the Frith, and there lies, perhaps to trouble the Scotch privateers, which have galled them of late very much, it may be more than all our last year's fleete.

4th. To the office, where a great conflict I had with Sir W. Warren, he bringing a letter to the Board, flatly in words charging them with their delays in passing his accounts, which have been with them these two years, part of which I said was not true, and the other indecent. So I writ in the margin of the letter, "Returned as untrue," and, by consent of the Board, did give it him again.

5th. (Lord's day.) Up and going down to the water side, I met Sir John Robinson and so with him by coach to White Hall, still a vain, prating, boasting man as any I know, as if the whole City and Kingdom had all its work done by him. He tells me he hath now got a street ordered to be continued, forty feet broad, from Paul's through Cannon Street to the Tower,' which will be very fine. He and others this day, where I was in the afternoon, do tell me of at least six or eight fires within these few days; and continually stirs of fires, and real fires there have been, in one place or other, almost ever since the late great fire, as if there was a fate sent people for

1 Now only (June, 1853) being carried into execution.

fire. I walked over the Park to Sir W. Coventry's. Among other things to tell him what I hear of people being forced to sell their bills before September for 35 and 40 per cent. loss, and what is worst, that there are some courtiers that have made a knot to buy them, in hopes of some ways to get money of the King to pay them, which Sir W. Coventry is amazed at, and says we are a people made up for destruction, and will do what he can to prevent all this by getting the King to provide wherewith to pay them. We talked of Tangier, of which he is ashamed; also that it should put the King to this charge for no good in the world and now a man going over that is a good soldier, but a debauched man, which the place need not to have. And so used these words: "That this place was to the King as my Lord Carnarvon1 says of wood, that it is an excrescence of the earth provided by God for the payment of debts." So home to church, most of the best of our parish gone into the country, or at least not at church, and so to dinner, and then had a little scolding with my wife for not being fine enough to go to the christening to-day, but I was in an ill humour and ashamed, indeed, that she should not go dressed. However, friends by and by, and we went by water to Michell's, and there his little house full, and mighty merry in this innocent company, and so the child was christened; my wife, his father, and her mother, the witnesses and the child's name Elizabeth. So we had gloves and wine and wafers, very pretty, and talked and tattled, and so we away by water and up with the tide as high as Barne Elms, it being a fine evening, and back again, and then home to supper and to bed with much pleasure. This day Sir

1 Charles Dormer, second Earl of Carnarvon. Ob., s. p., 1709. His father was killed at the battle of Newbury, fighting under the royal banner.

W. Coventry tells me the Dutch fleete shot some shot, four or five hundred, into Burnt Island in the Frith, but without any hurt; and so are gone.

6th. Up and angry with my mayds for letting in watermen, and I know not who, anybody that they are acquainted with, into the kitchen to talk and prate with them, which I will not endure. Then to the Exchequer to consult about some way of getting our poor Creditors of the Navy, who served in their goods before the last Session of Parliament, paid out of the II months tax, which seems to relate only for goods to be then served in, and I think I have found out a way to bring them into the Act, which, if it do, I shall think a good service done. Thence by coach with Captain Cocke, in our way talking of my Lord Brouncker and his Lady, who are mighty angry with us all of the office, about Carcasse's business, but especially with me, and in great confidence he bids me have a care of him, for he has said that he would wound me with the person where my greatest interest is. I suppose he means Sir W. Coventry, and therefore I will beware of him, and am glad, though vexed to hear it. So home to dinner, where Creed came, whom I vexed devilishly with telling him a wise man, and good friend of his and mine, did say that he lately went into the country to Hinchingbroke; and, at his coming to town again, had shifted his lodgings, only to avoid paying to the Poll Bill, which is so true that he blushed, and could not in words deny it, but the fellow did think to have had it not discovered. He is so devilish a subtle false rogue, that I am really weary and afeard of his company, and therefore after dinner to my office, where busy late, then home to supper and sing with my wife, who do begin to give me real pleasure with her singing.

7th. To St. James's; but there find Sir W. Co