5th。　　I　walked　towards　Guildhall；　being　summoned　by　the　Commissioners　for　the　Lieutenancy；　but　they　sat　not　this　morning。　So　meeting　in　my　way　W。　Swan；　I　took　him　to　a　house　thereabouts；　he　telling　me　much　of　his　Fanatique　stories；　as　if　he　were　a　great　zealot；　when　I　know　him　to　be　a　very　rogue。　　But　I　do　it　for　discourse；　and　to　see　how　things　stand　with　him　and　his　party；　who　I　perceive　have　great　expectation　that　God　will　not　bless　the　Court　nor　Church；　as　it　is　now　settled；　but　they　must　be　purified。　　The　worst　news　he　tells　me；　is　that　Mr。　Chetwind　is　dead；　my　old　and　most　ingenious　acquaintance。　　To　the　Duke's；　where　the　Committee　for　Tangier　met：　　and　here　we　sat　down　all　with　him　at　a　table；　and　had　much　discourse　about　the　business。
  13th。　　We　sat；　Mr。　Coventry　and　I；　（Sir　G。　Carteret　being　gone；）　and　among　other　things；　Field　and　Strip　did　come；　and　received　the　41l。　given　him　by　the　judgement　against　me　and　Harry　Kem；　and　we　did　also　sign　bonds　in　500l。　to　stand　to　the　award　of　Mr。　Porter　and　Smith　for　the　rest：　　which；　however；　I　did　not　sign　to　till　I　got　Mr。　Coventry　to　go　up　with　me　to　Sir　W。　Pen；　and　he　did　promise　me　before　him　to　bear　his　share　in　what　should　be　awarded；　and　both　concluded　that　Sir　W。　Batten　would　do　no　less。
  15th。　　To　the　Duke；　and　followed　him　into　the　Parke；　where；　though　the　ice…was　broken　and　dangerous；　yet　he　would　go　slide　upon　his　scates；　which　I　did　not　like；　but　he　slides　very　well。　So　back　to　his　closet；　whither　my　Lord　Sandwich　comes；　and　there　Mr。　Coventry；　and　we　three　had　long　discourse　together　about　the　matters　of　the　Navy；　and；　indeed；　I　find　myself　more　and　more　obliged　to　Mr。　Coventry；　who　studies　to　do　me　all　the　right　he　can　in　every　thing　to　the　Duke。　　Thence　walked　a　good　while　up　and　down　the　gallerys；　and　among　others；　met　with　Dr。　Clarke；　who　in　discourse　tells　me；　that　Sir　Charles　Barkeley's　greatness　is　only　his　being　pimp　to　the　King；　and　to　my　Lady　Castlemaine。　　And　yet　for　all　this；　that　the　King　is　very　kind　to　the　Queene；　who；　he　says；　is　one　of　the　best　women　in　the　world。　　Strange　how　the　King　is　bewitched　to　this　pretty　Castlemaine。　　I　walked　up　and　down　the　gallerys；　spending　my　time　upon　the　pictures；　till　the　Duke　and　the　Committee　for　Tangier　met；　（the　Duke　not　staying　with　us；）　where　the　only　matter　was　to　discourse　with　my　Lord　Rutherford；　＇Andrew；　created　Baron　of　Rutherford　and　Earl　of　Teviot；　1660；　successively　Governor　of　Dunkirk　and　Tangier；　where　he　was　killed　by　the　Moors　in　1663。＇　　who　is　this　day　made　Governor　of　Tangier；　for　I　know　not　what　reasons；　and　my　Lord　of　Peterborough　to　be　called　home：　　which；　though　it　is　said　it　is　done　with　kindness；　I　am　sorry　to　see　a　Catholicke　Governor　sent　to　command　there；　where　all　the　rest　of　the　officers　almost　are　such　already。　　But　God　knows　what　the　reason　is！　　and　all　may　see　how　slippery　places　all　courtiers　stand　in。　　Thence　home；　in　my　way　calling　upon　Sir　John　Berkenheade；　＇Sir　John　Berkenhead；　F。R。S。；　a　political　author；　held　in　some　esteem；　M。P。　for　Wilton；　1661；　and　knighted　the　following　year。　　Master　of　the　Faculty　Office；　and　Court　of　Requests。　　Ob。　1679。＇　　to　speak　about　my　assessment　of　42l。　to　the　Loyal　Sufferers；　which；　I　perceive；　I　cannot　help；　but　he　tells　me　I　have　been　abused　by　Sir　R。　Ford。　Thence　called　at　the　Major…General's；　Sir　R。　Browne；　about　my　being　assessed　armes　to　the　militia；　but　he　was　abroad。
  16th。　　To　dinner；　thinking　to　have　had　Mr。　Coventry；　but　he　could　not　go　with　me；　and　so　I　took　Captn。　Murford。　　Of　whom　I　do　hear　what　the　world　says　of　me；　that　all　do　conclude　Mr。　Coventry；　and　Pett；　and　me；　to　be　of　a　knot；　and　that　we　do　now　carry　all　things　before　us：　　and　much　more　in　particular　of　me；　and　my　studiousnesse；　&c。　to　my　great　content。　　To　White　Hall　to　Secretary　Bennet's；　and　agreed　with　Mr。　Lee　to　set　upon　our　new　adventure　at　the　Tower　to…morrow。
  17th。　　This　morning　come　Mr。　Lee；　Wade；　and　Evett；　intending　to　have　gone　upon　our　new　design　to　the　Tower；　but　it　raining；　and　the　work　being　to　be　done　in　the　open　garden；　we　put　it　off　to　Friday　next。
  19th。　　Up　and　by　appointment　with　Mr。　Lee；　Wade；　Evett；　and　workmen　to　the　Tower；　and　with　the　Lieutenant's　leave　set　them　to　work　in　the　garden；　in　the　corner　against　the　mayne…guard；　a　most　unlikely　place。　　It　being　cold；　Mr。　Lee　and　I　did　sit　all　the　day　till　three　o'clock　by　the　fire　in　the　Governor's　house；　I　reading　a　play　of　Fletcher's；　being　〃A　Wife　for　a　Month；〃　wherein　no　great　wit　or　language。　　We　went　to　them　at　work；　and　having　wrought　below　the　bottom　of　the　foundation　of　the　wall；　I　bid　them　give　over；　and　so　all　our　hopes　ended。
  20th。　　To　the　office；　and　thence　with　Mr。　Coventry　in　his　coach　to　St。　James's；　with　great　content　and　pride　to　see　him　treat　me　so　friendly；　and　dined　with　him；　and　so　to　White　Hall　together；　where　we　met　upon　the　Tangier　Commission；　and　discoursed　many　things　thereon：　　but　little　will　be　done　before　my　Lord　Rutherford　comes　there；　as　to　the　fortification　and　Mole。　　That　done；　my　Lord　Sandwich　and　I　walked　together　a　good　while　in　the　matted　gallery；　he　acquainting　me　with　his　late　enquiries　into　the　Wardrobe　business　to　his　content；　and　tells　me　how　things　stand。　And　that　the　first　year　was　worth　about　3000l。　to　him；　and　the　next　about　as　much：　　so　that　at　this　day；　if　he　were　paid；　it　will　be　worth　about　7000l。　to　him。
  21st。　　To　White　Hall；　and　there　to　chapel；　and　from　thence　up　stairs；　and　up　and　down　the　house　and　gallerys　on　the　King's　and　Queen's　side；　and　so　through　the　garden　to　my　Lord's　lodgings；　where　there　was　Mr。　Gibbons；　Madge；　Mallard；　and　Pagett；　and　by　and　by　comes　in　my　Lord　Sandwich；　and　so　we　had　great　store　of　good　musique。　　By　and　by　comes　in　my　simple　Lord　Chandois；　＇William；　seventh　Lord　Chandos。　Ob。1676。＇　　who　（my　Lord　Sandwich　being　gone…out　to　Court）　began　to　sing　psalms；　but　so　dully　that　I　was　weary　of　it。
  22nd。　　I　walked　to　Mr。　Coventry's　chamber；　where　I　found　him　gone　out　into　the　Parke　with　the　Duke；　so　I　shifted　myself　into　a　riding…habitt；　and　followed　him　through　White　Hall；　and　in　the　Parke　Mr。　Coventry's　people　having　a　horse　ready　for　me　（so　fine　a　one　that　I　was　almost　afraid　to　get　upon　him；　but　I　did；　and　found　myself　more　feared　than　hurt）　and　followed　the　Duke；　who；　with　some　of　his　people　（among　others　Mr。　Coventry）　was　riding　out。　　And　with　them　to　Hide　Parke。　　Where　Mr。　Coventry　asking　leave　of　the　Duke；　he　bids　us　go　to　Woolwich。　　So　he　and　I　to　the　water…side；　and　our　horses　coming　by　the　ferry；　we　by　oars　over　to　Lambeth；　and　from　thence；　with　brave　discourse　by　the　way；　rode　to　Woolwich；　where　we　put　in　practice　my　new　way　of　the　Call…booke；　which　will　be　of　great　use。
  23rd。　　Dr。　Pierce　tells　me　that　my　Lady　Castlemaine's　interest　at　Court　increases；　and　is　more　and　greater　than　the　Queene's；　that　she　hath　brought　in；　Sir　H。　Bennet；　and　Sir　Charles　Barkeley；　but　that　the　Queene　is　a　most　good　lady；　and　takes　all　with　the　greatest　meekness　that　may　be。　　He　tells　me；　also；　that　Mr。　Edward　Montagu　is　quite　broke　at　Court　with　his　repute　and　purse；　and　that　he　lately　was　engaged　in　a　quarrell　against　my　Lord　Chesterfield：　　but　that　the　King　did　cause　it　to　be　taken　up。　　He　tells　me；　too；　that　the　King　is　much　concerned　in　the　Chancellor's　sickness；　and　that　the　Chancellor　is　as　great；　he　thinks；　as　ever　with　the　King。　　He　also　tells　me　what　the　world　says　of　me；　〃that　Mr。　Coventry　and　I　do　all　the　business　of　the　office　almost：〃　at　which　I　am　highly　proud。
  24th。　　To　my　bookseller's；　and　paid　at　another　shop　4l。　10s。　for　Stephens's　Thesaurus　Graecae　Linguae；　given　to　Paul's　Schoole。　To　my　Lord　Crewe's；　and　dined　alone　with　him。　　I　understand　there　are　great　factions　at　Court；　and　something　he　said　that　did　imply　a　difference　like　to　be　between　the　King　and　the　Duke；　in　case　the　Queene　should　not　be　with　child。　　I　understand；　about　this　bastard。　　He　says；　also；　that　some　great　man　will　be　aimed　at　when　Parliament　comes　to　sit　again；　I　understand；　the　Chancellor：　and　that　there　is　a　bill　will　be　brought　in；　that　none　that　have　been　in　armes　for　the　Parliament　shall　be　capable　of　office。　　And　that　the　Court　are　weary　of　my　Lord　Albemarle　and　Chamberlin。　＇Edward　Earl　of　Manchester。＇　　He　wishes　that　my　Lord　Sandwich　had　some　good　occasion　to　be　abroad　this　summer　which　is　coming　on；　and　that　my　Lord　Hinchingbroke　were　well　married；　and　Sydney　＇Lord　Sandwich's　second　son。＇　had　some　place　at　Court。　　He　pities　the　poor　ministers　that　are　put　out；　to　whom；　he　says；　the　King　is　beholden　for　his　coming　in；　and　that　if　any　such　thing　had　been　foreseen　he　had　never　come　in。　　Met　Mr。　Creed　at　my　bookseller's　in　Paul's　Church…yard；　who　takes　it　ill　my　letter　last　night　to　Mr。　Povy；　wherein　I　accuse　him　of　the　neglect；　of　the　Tangier　boats；　in　which　I　must　confess　I　did　not　do　altogether　like　a　friend；　but　however　it　was　truth；　and　I　must　owne　it　to　be　so　though　I　fall　wholly　out　with　him　for　it。
  25th。　　（Christmas…day。）　Had　a　pleasant　walk　to　White　Hall；　where　I　Intended　to　have　received　the　communion　with　the　family；　but　I　come　a　little　too　late。　　So　I　walked　up　into　the　house　and　spent　my　time　looking　over　pictures；　particularly　the　ships　in　King　Henry　the　VIIIth's　Voyage　to　Bullaen　＇Boulogne＇　marking　the　great　diff