to　be　some　error　in　these　figures。＇　now　since　Christmas；　being　itself　but　1；250；000l。　　And　so　I　do　really　take　it　to　be　a　very　considerable　thing　done　by　him；　for　the　beginning；　end；　and　every　part　of　it；　is　to　be　imputed　to　him。　　The　fleet　is　not　yet　gone　from　the　Nore。　　The　plague　encreases　in　many　places；　and　is　53　this　week　with　us。
  13th。　　Into　St。　Margett's　＇St。　Margaret's。＇　　Church；　where　I　heard　a　young　man　play　the　fool　upon　the　doctrine　of　Purgatory。
  16th。　　I　to　my　Lord　Crowe's；　who　is　very　lately　come　to　town；　and　he　talked　for　half　an　hour　of　the　business　of　the　warr；　wherein　he　is　very　doubtful；　from　our　want　of　money；　that　we　shall　fail。　And　I　do　concur　with　him　therein。　　After　some　little　discourse　of　ordinary　matters；　I　away　to　Sir　Philip　Warwick's　again；　and　he　was　come　in；　and　gone　out　to　my　Lord　Treasurer's；　whither　I　followed　him；　and　there　my　business　was；　to　be　told　that　my　Lord　Treasurer　hath　got　10；000l。　for　us　in　the　Navy；　to　answer　our　great　necessities；　which　I　did　thank　him　for；　but　the　sum　is　not　considerable。　　The　five　brothers　Houblons　came；　and　Mr。　Hill；　to　my　house；　and　a　very　good　supper　we　had；　and　good　discourse　with　great　pleasure。　　My　new　plate　sets　off　my　cupboard　very　nobly。　Here　they　were　till　about　eleven　at　night：　　and　a　fine　sight　it　is　to　see　these　five　brothers　thus　loving　one　to　another；　and　all　industrious　merchants。
  ＇Two　of　these　brothers；　Sir　James　and　Sir　John　Houblon；　Knts。　and　Aldermen；　rose　to　great　wealth；　the　former　represented　the　City　of　London；　and　the　latter　became　Lord　Mayor　in　1695。　　The　following　epitaph；　in　memory　of　their　father；　who　was　interred　in　the　church　of　St。　Mary　Woolnoth；　is　here　inserted；　as　having　been　written　by　Mr。　Pepys：…
  Jacobus　Houblon　Londin。　Petri　filius；　Ob　fidem　Flandria　exulantis：　Ex　C。　Nepotibus　habuit　LXX　superstites：　Filios　V。　videns　mercatores　florentissimos；　Ipse　Londinensis　Bursae　Pater。　Plissime　obiit　Nonagenarius；　A。D。　MDCLXXXII。＇
  19th。　　Mr。　Deane　and　I　did　discourse　about　his　ship　Rupert；　built　by　him　there；　which　succeeds　so　well　as　he　hath　got　great　honour　by　it；　and　I　some　by　recommending　him；　the　King；　Duke；　and　every　body；　saying　it　is　the　best　ship　that　was　ever　built。　　And　then　he　fell　to　explain　to　me　his　manner　of　casting　the　draught　of　water　which　a　ship　will　draw　beforehand：　　which　is　a　secret　the　King　and　all　admire　in　him；　and　he　is　the　first　that　hath　come　to　any　certainty　beforehand　of　foretelling　the　draught　of　water　of　a　ship　before　she　be　launched
  20th。　　I　discoursed　awhile　with　Mr。　Yeabsly；　whom　I　met　and　took　up　in　my　coach　with　me；　and　who　hath　this　day　presented　my　Lord　Ashly　with　100l。　to　bespeak　his　friendship　to　him　in　his　accounts　now　before　us；　and　my　Lord　hath　received；　and　so　I　believe　is　as　bad；　as　to　bribes；　as　what　the　world　says　of　him。
  21st。　　I　away　in　some　haste　to　my　Lord　Ashly；　where　it　is　stupendous　to　see　how　favourably；　and　yet　closely；　my　Lord　Ashly　carries　himself　to　Mr。　Yeabsly；　in　his　business；　so　as　I　think　we　shall　do　his　business　for　him　in　very　good　manner。　　But　it　is　a　most　extraordinary　thing　to　observe；　and　that　which　I　would　not　but　have　had　the　observation　of　for　a　great　deal　of　money。
  23rd。　　Towards　White　Hall；　calling　in　my　way　on　my　Lord　Bellasses；　＇John　Lord　Bellassis；　second　son　of　Thomas　Viscount　Falconberg；　an　officer　of　distinction　on　the　King's　side；　during　the　Civil　War。　　He　was　afterwards　Governor　of　Tangier；　and　Captain　of　the　Band　of　Gentlemen　Pensioners。　　Being　a　Catholic；　the　Test　Act　deprived　him　of　all　his　appointments　in　1672；　but　James　II；　in　1684；　made　him　first　Commissioner　of　the　Treasury。　　Ob；　1689。＇　where　I　come　to　his　bedside；　and　he　did　give　me　a　full　and　long　account　of　his　matters；　how　he　kept　them　at　Tangier。　　Declares　himself　fully　satisfied　with　my　care：　　seems　cunningly　to　argue　for　encreasing　the　number　of　men　there。　　Told　me　the　whole　story　of　his　gains　by　the　Turky　prizes；　which　he　owns　he　hath　got　about　5000l。　by。　　Promised　me　the　same　profits　Povy　was　to　have　had；　and　in　fine；　I　find　him　a　pretty　subtle　man；　and　so　I　left　him。　Staid　at　Sir　G。　Carteret's　chamber　till　the　Council　rose；　and　then　he　and　I；　by　agreement　this　morning；　went　forth　in　his　coach　by　Tiburne；　to　the　park；　discoursing　of　the　state　of　the　Navy　as　to　money；　and　the　state　of　the　Kingdom　too；　how　ill　able　to　raise　more：　　and　of　our　office；　as　to　the　condition　of　the　officers；　he　giving　me　caution　as　to　myself；　that　there　are　those　that　are　my　enemies　as　well　as　his；　and　by　name　my　Lord　Brouncker　who　hath　said　some　odd　speeches　against　me。　　So　that　he　advises　me　to　stand　on　my　guard；　which　I　shall　do；　and　unless　my　too…much　addiction　to　pleasure　undo　me；　will　be　acute　enough　for　any　of　them。
  25th。　　A　gentleman　arrived　here　this　day；　Mr。　Brown　of　St。　Maloes；　among　other　things　tells　me　the　meaning　of　the　setting　out　of　dogs　every　night　out　of　the　town　walls；　which　are　said　to　secure　the　city：　　but　it　is　not　so；　but　only　to　secure　the　anchors；　cables；　and　ships　that　lie　dry；　which　might　otherwise　in　the　night　be　liable　to　be　robbed。　　And　these　dogs　are　set　out　every　night；　and　called　together　in；　every　morning　by　a　man　with　a　horne；　and　they　go　in　very　orderly。
  29th。　　Home　this　evening；　but　with　great　trouble　in　the　streets　by　bonfires；　it　being　the　King's　birth…day　and　day　of　Restoration；　but　Lord！　　to　see　the　difference　how　many　there　were　on　the　other　side；　and　so　few　ours；　the　City　side　of　the　Temple；　would　make　one　wonder　the　difference　between　the　temper　of　one　sort　of　people　and　the　other：　　and　the　difference　among　all　between　what　they　do　now；　and　what　it　was　the　night　when　Monk　came　into　the　City。　　Such　a　night　as　that　I　never　think　to　see　again；　nor　think　it　can　be。
  30th。　　I　find　the　Duke　gone　out　with　the　King　to…day　on　hunting。
  31st。　　A　public　Fast…day　appointed　to　pray　for　the　good　success　of　the　fleet。　　But　it　is　a　pretty　thing　to　consider　how　little　a　matter　they　make　of　this　keeping　of　a　Fast；　that　it　was　not　so　much　as　declared　time　enough　to　be　read　in　the　churches；　the　last　Sunday；　but　ordered　by　proclamation　since：　　I　suppose　upon　some　sudden　news　of　the　Dutch　being　come　out。　　As　to　public　business；　by　late　tidings　of　the　French　fleet　being　come　to　Rochell；　（how　true；　though；　I　know　not）　our　fleet　is　divided；　Prince　Rupert　being　gone　with　about　thirty　ships　to　the　Westward　as　is　conceived　to　meet　the　French；　to　hinder　their　coming　to　join　with　the　Dutch。　　My　Lord　Duke　of　Albemarle　lies　in　the　Downes　with　the　rest；　and　intends　presently　to　sail　to　the　Gunfleete。
  June　2；　1666。　　Up；　and　to　the　office；　where　certain　news　is　brought　us　of　a　letter　come　to　the　King　this　morning　from　the　Duke　of　Albemarle；　dated　yesterday　at　eleven　o'clock；　as　they　were　sailing　to　the　Gunfleete；　that　they　were　in　sight　of　the　Dutch　fleet；　and　were　fitting　themselves　to　fight　them；　so　that　they　are　ere　this　certainly　engaged：　　besides；　several　do　averr　they　heard　the　guns　yesterday　in　the　afternoon。　　This　put　us　at　the　Board　into　a　tosse。　　Presently　come　orders　for　our　sending　away　to　the　fleet　a　recruite　of　200　soldiers。　　So　I　rose　from　the　table；　and　to　the　Victualling…office；　and　thence　upon　the　River　among　several　vessels；　to　consider　of　the　sending　them　away；　and　lastly；　down　to　Greenwich；　and　there　appointed　two　yachts　to　be　ready　for　them；　and　did　order　the　soldiers　to　march　to　Blackewall。　　Having　set　all　things　in　order　against　the　next　flood；　I　went　on　shore　with　Captain　Erwin　at　Greenwich；　and　into　the　parke；　and　there：　　we　could　hear　the　guns　from　the　fleete　most　plainly。　　We　walked　to　the　water…side；　and　there　seeing　the　King　and　Duke　come　down　in　their　barge　to　Greenwich…house；　I　to　them；　and　did　give　them　an　account　what　I　was　doing。　　They　went　up　to　the　park　to　hear　the　guns　of　the　fleet　go　off。　　All　our　hopes　now　are　that　Prince　Rupert　with　his　fleet　is　coming　back　and　will　be　with　the　fleet　this　even：　　a　message　being　sent　to　him　for　that　purpose　on　Wednesday　last；　and　a　return　is　come　from　him　this　morning；　that　he　did　intend　to　sail　from　St。　Ellen's　point　about　four　in　the　afternoon　yesterday；　which　gives　us　great　hopes；　the　wind　being　very　fair；　that　he　is　with　them　this　even；　and　the　fresh　going　off　of　the　guns　makes　us　believe　the　same。　Down　to　Blackewall；　and　there　saw　the　soldiers　（who　were　by　this　time　gotten　most　of　them　drunk）　shipped　off。　　But；　Lord！　　to　see　how　the　poor　fellows　kissed　their　wives　and　sweet…hearts　in　that　simple　manner　at　their　going　off；　and　shouted；　and　let　off　their　guns；　was　strange　sport。　　In　the　evening　come　up　the　River　the　Katharine　yacht；　Captain　Fazeby；　who　hath　brought　over　my　Lord　of　Alesbury　＇Robert　Bruce；　created　Earl　of　Aylesbury；　1663。　　Ob。　1685。＇　　and　Sir　Thomas　Liddall　＇Of　Ravensworth　Castle；　Durham；　succeeded　his　grandfather；　the　first　Baronet；　1650。　　He　had　three　daughters。　　Ob。　1697。＇　　（with　a　very　pretty　daughter；　and　in　a　pretty　travelling…dress）　from　Flanders；　who　saw　the　Dutch　fleet　on　Thursday；　and　ran　from　them；　but　from　that　hour　to　this　hath　not　heard　one　gun；　nor　any　news　of　any　fight。　　Having　put　the　soldiers　on　board；　I　home。
  3rd　（Lord's…day；　Whit…sunday）。　　Up；　and　by　water　to　White　Hall；　and　there　met　with　Mr。　Coventry；　who　tells　me　the　only　news　from　the　fleet　is　brought　by　Capta