he　saying　that　I　am　the　fittest　man　in　England；　and　that　he　is　sure；　if　I　will　undertake；　I　will　perform　it：　　and　that　it　will　be　also　a　very　desirable　thing　that　I　might　have　this　encouragement；　my　encouragement　in　the　Navy　alone　being　in　no　wise　proportionable　to　my　pains　or　deserts。　　This；　added　to　the　letter　I　had　three　days　since　from　Mr。　Southerne；　＇Secretary　to　Sir　W。　Coventry。＇　　signifying　that　the　Duke　of　York　had　in　his　master's　absence　opened　my　letters；　and　commanded　him　to　tell　me　that　he　did　approve　of　my　being　the　Surveyor…General；　do　make　me　joyful　beyond　myself　that　I　cannot　express　it；　to　see　that　as　I　do　take　pains；　so　God　blesses　me；　and　hath　sent　me　masters　that　do　observe　that　I　take　pains。
  28th。　　The　Parliament　hath　given　the　Duke　of　York　120；000l。；　to　be　paid　him　after　1；250；000l。　is　gathered　upon　the　tax　which　they　have　now　given　the　King。　　He　tells　me　that　the　Dutch　have　lately　launched　sixteen　new　ships；　all　which　is　great　news。　　The　King　and　Court；　they　say；　have　now　finally　resolved　to　spend　nothing　upon　clothes；　but　what　is　of　the　growth　of　England；　which；　if　observed；　will　be　very　pleasing　to　the　people；　and　very　good　for　them。
  29th。　　In　the　street　did　overtake　and　almost　run　upon　two　women　crying　and　carrying　a　man's　coffin　between　them。　　I　suppose　the　husband；　of　one　of　them；　which；　methinks；　is　a　sad　thing。
  31st。　　Meeting　yesterday　the　Searchers　with　their　rods　in　their　hands　coming　from　Captain　Cocke's　house；　I　did　overhear　them　say　that　his　Black　did　not　die　of　the　plague。　　About　nine　at　night　I　come　home；　and　anon　comes　Mrs。　Coleman　＇Probably　the　person　mentioned　in　the　following　extract　from　MALONE'S　ACCOUNT　OF　THE　ENGLISH　STAGE。　　〃In　1659　or　60；　in　imitation　of　foreign　theatres；　women　were　first　introduced　on　the　scene。　　In　1656；　indeed；　Mrs。　Coleman；　wife　to　Mr。　Edward　Coleman；　represented　Ianthe　in　the　first　part　of　the　Siege　of　Rhodes：　　but　the　little　she　had　to　say　was　spoken　in　recitative。〃＇　　and　her　husband；　and　she　sung　very　finely；　though　her　voice　is　decayed　as　to　strength　but　mighty　sweet　though　soft；　and　a　pleasant　jolly　woman；　and　in　mighty　good　humour。　　She　sung　part　of　the　Opera；　though　she　would　not　own　she　did　get　any　of　it　without　book　in　order　to　the　stage。　　Thus　we　end　the　month。　　The　whole　number　of　deaths　being　1388；　and　of　them　of　the　plague；　1031。　　Want　of　money　in　the　Navy　puts　every　thing　out　of　order。　　Men　grow　mutinous；　and　nobody　here　to　mind　the　business　of　the　Navy　but　myself。　　I　in　great　hopes　of　my　place　of　Surveyor…General　of　the　Victualling；　which　will　bring　me　300l。　per　annum。
  November　1；　1665。　　My　Lord　Brouncker　with　us　to　Mrs。　William's　lodgings；　and　Sir　W。　Batten；　Sir　Edmund　Pooly；　＇M。P。　for　Bury　St。　Edmunds；　and　in　the　list　of　proposed　Knights　of　the　Royal　Oak　for　Suffolk。＇　　and　others；　and　there；　it　being　my　Lord's　birth…day；　had　every　one　a　green　riband　tied　in　our　hats　very　foolishly；　and　methinks　mighty　disgracefully　for　my　Lord　to　have　his　folly　so　open　to　all　the　world　with　this　woman。
  5th。　　By　water　to　Deptford；　and　there　made　a　visit　to　Mr。　Evelyn；　who；　among　other　things；　showed　me　most　excellent　painting　in　little；　in　distemper；　Indian　incke；　water　colours：　　graveing；　and；　above　all；　the　whole　secret　of　mezzo…tinto；　and　the　manner　of　it；　which　is　very　pretty；　and　good　things　done　with　it。　　He　read　to　me　very　much　also　of　his　discourse；　he　hath　been　many　years　and　now　is　about；　about　Gardenage；　which　will　be　a　most　noble　and　pleasant　piece。　　He　read　me　part　of　a　play　or　two　of　his　making；　very　good；　but　not　as　he　conceits　them；　I　think；　to　be。　　He　showed　me　his　Hortus　Hyemalis；　leaves　laid　up　in　a　book　of　several　plants　kept　dry；　which　preserve　colour；　however；　and　look　very　finely；　better　than　an　herball。　　In　fine；　a　most　excellent　person　he　is；　and　must　be　allowed　a　little　for　a　little　conceitedness；　but　he　may　well　be　so；　being　a　man　so　much　above　others。　　He　read　me；　though　with　too　much　gusto；　some　little　poems　of　his　own　that　were　not　transcendant；　yet　one　or　two　very　pretty　epigrams；　among　others；　of　a　lady　looking　in　at　a　grate；　and　being　pecked　at　by　an　eagle　that　was　there。
  6th。　　Sir　G。　Carteret　and　I　did　walk　an　hour　in　the　garden　before　the　house；　talking　of　my　Lord　Sandwich's　business；　what　enemies　he　hath；　and　how　they　have　endeavoured　to　bespatter　him：　　and　particularly　about　his　leaving　of　30　ships　of　the　enemy；　when　Pen　would　have　gone；　and　my　Lord　called　him　back　again：　　which　is　most　false。　　However；　he　says；　it　was　purposed　by　some　hot…heads　in　the　House　of　Commons；　at　the　same　time　when　they　voted　a　present　to　the　Duke　of　York；　to　have　voted　10；000l。　to　the　Prince；　and　half…a…crowne　to　my　Lord　of　Sandwich；　but　nothing　come　of　it。　　But；　for　all　this；　the　King　is　most　firme　to　my　Lord；　and　so　is　my　Lord　Chancellor；　and　my　Lord　Arlington。　　The　Prince；　in　appearance；　kind；　the　Duke　of　York　silent；　says　no　hurt；　but　admits　others　to　say　it　in　his　hearing。　　Sir　W。　Pen；　the　falsest　rascal　that　ever　was　in　the　world；　and　that　this　afternoon　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　did　tell　him　that　Pen　was　a　very　cowardly　rogue；　and　one　that　hath　brought　all　these　rogueish　fanatick　Captains　into　the　fleet；　and　swears　he　should　never　go　out　with　the　fleet　again。　　That　Sir　W。　Coventry　is　most　kind　to　Pen　still；　and　says　nothing　not　do　any　thing　openly　to　the　prejudice　of　my　Lord。　　He　agrees　with　me；　that　it　is　impossible　for　the　King　to　set　out　a　fleet　again　the　next　year；　and　that　he　fears　all　will　come　to　ruine；　there　being　no　money　in　prospect　but　these　prizes；　which　will　bring；　it　may　be　20；000l。；　but　that　will　signify　nothing　in　the　world　for　it。
  9th。　　The　Bill　of　Mortality；　to　all　our　griefs；　is　encreased　399　this　week；　and　the　encrease　generally　through　the　whole　City　and　suburbs；　which　makes　us　all　sad。
  14th。　　Captain　Cocke　and　I　in　his　coach　through　Kent…streete；　（a　sad　place　through　the　plague；　people　sitting　sick　and　with　plaisters　about　them　in　the　street　begging。）
  15th。　　The　plague；　blessed　be　God！　　is　decreased　400；　making　the　whole　this　week　but　1300　and　odd：　　for　which　the　Lord　be　praised！
  16th。　　To　Eriffe；　where　after　making　a　little　visit　to　Madam　Williams；　she　did　give　me　information　of　W。　How's　having　bought　eight　bags　of　precious　stones　taken　from　about　the　Dutch　Vice…　admirall's　neck；　of　which　there　were　eight　dyamonds　which　cost　him　4000l。　sterling；　in　India；　and　hoped　to　have　made　12；000l。　here　for　them。　　And　that　this　is　told　by　one　that　sold　him　one　of　the　bags；　which　hath　nothing　but　rubys　in　it；　which　he　had　for　35s。；　and　that　it　will　be　proved　he　hath　made　125l。；　of　one　stone　that　he　bought。　　This　she　desired；　and　I　resolved　I　would　give　my　Lord　Sandwich　notice　of。　　So　I　on　board　my　Lord　Brouncker；　and　there　he　and　Sir　Edmund　Pooly　carried　me　down　into　the　hold　of　the　India　shipp；　and　there　did　show　me　the　greatest　wealth　lie　in　confusion　that　a　man　can　see　in　the　world。　　Pepper　scattered　through　every　chink；　you　trod　upon　it；　and　in　cloves　and　nutmegs；　I　walked　above　the　knees：　　whole　rooms　full。　　And　silk　in　bales；　and　boxes　of　copper…plate；　one　of　which　I　saw　opened。　　Having　seen　this；　which　was　as　noble　a　sight　as　ever　I　saw　in　my　life；　I　away　on　board　the　other　ship　in　despair　to　get　the　pleasure…boat　of　the　gentlemen　there　to　carry　me　to　the　fleet。　　They　were　Mr。　Ashburnham　＇John　Ashburnham；　a　Groom　of　the　Bedchamber　to　Charles　I。　whom　he　attended　during　the　whole　of　the　Rebellion；　and　afterwards　filled　the　same　post　under　Charles　II。　　He　was　in　1661　M。P；　for　Sussex；　and　ob。　1671。＇　　and　Colonell　Wyndham；　but　pleading　the　King's　business；　they　did　presently　agree　I　should　have　it。　　So　I　presently　on　board；　and　got　under　sail；　and　had　a　good　bedd　by　the　shift；　of　Wyndham's；　and　so　sailed　all　night；　and　got　down　to　Quinbrough　water；　where　all　the　great　ships　are　now　come；　and　there　on　board　my　Lord；　and　was　soon　received　with　great　content。　　And　after　some　little　discourse；　he　and　I　on　board　Sir　W。　Pen；　and　there　held　a　council　of　Warr　about　many　wants　of　the　fleet；　and　so　followed　my　Lord　Sandwich；　who　was　gone　a　little　before　me　on　board　the　Royall　James。　　And　there　spent　an　hour；　my　Lord　playing　upon　the　gittarr；　which　he　now　commends　above　all　musique　in　the　world。　　As　an　infinite　secret；　my　Lord　tells　me；　the　factions　are　high　between　the　King　and　the　Duke；　and　all　the　Court　are　in　an　uproar　with　their　loose　amours；　the　Duke　of　York　being　in　love　desperately　with　Mrs。　Stewart。　Nay；　that　the　Duchesse　herself　is　fallen　in　love　with　her　new　Master　of　the　Horse；　one　Harry　Sidney；　＇Younger　son　of　Robert　Earl　of　Leicester；　created　Earl　of　Romney；　1694。　　He　was　Lord　Lieutenant　of　Ireland；　Master　of　the　Ordnance；　and　Warden　of　the　Cinque　Ports　in　the　reign　of　King　William。　　Ob。　1704；　unmarried。＇　and　another；　Harry　Savill。　　＇Henry　Saville；　some　time　one　of　the　Grooms　of　the　Bedchamber　to　the　Duke　of　York。＇　　So　that　God　knows　what　will　be　the　end　of　it。　　And　that　the　Duke　is　not　so　obsequious　as　he　need　to　be；　but　very　high　of　late；　and　would　be　glad　to　be　in　the　head　of　an　army　as　Generall；　and　that　it　is　said　that　he　do　propose　to　go　and　command　under　the　King　of　Spayne；　in　Flanders。　　That　his　amours　to　Mrs。　Stewart　are　told　the　King。　　So　that　all　is　like　to　be　nought　among　them。
  22nd。　　I　was　very　gl