renegado　captain　of　the　Hollanders；　who　found　himself　ill　used　by　De　Ruyter　for　his　good　service；　and　so　come　over　to　us；　and　hath　done　us　good　service；　so　that　now　we　trust　him；　and　he　himself　did　go　on　this　expedition。　　The　service　is　very　great；　and　our　joys　as　great　for　it。　　All　this　will　make　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　in　repute　again；　I　doubt。　　The　guns　of　the　Tower　going　off；　and　bonfires　also　in　the　street　for　this　late　good　successe。
  16th。　　This　day　Sir　W。　Batten　did　show　us　at　the　table　a　letter　from　Sir　T。　Allen；　which　says；　that　we　have　taken　ten　or　twelve　ships；　（since　the　late　great　expedition　of　burning　their　ships　and　town）　laden　with　hemp；　flax；　tar；　deals；　&c。　　This　was　good　news；　but　by　and　by　comes　in　Sir　G。　Carteret；　and　he　asked　us　with　full　mouth　what　we　would　give　for　good　news。　　Says　Sir　W。　Batten　〃I　have　better　than　you　for　a　wager。〃　They　laid　sixpence；　and　we　that　were　by　were　to　give　sixpence　to　him　that　told　the　best　news。　　So　Sir　W。　Batten　told　his　of　the　ten　or　twelve　ships。　Sir　G。　Carteret　did　then　tell　us　that　upon　the　news　of　the　burning　of　the　ships　and　town；　the　common　people　of　Amsterdam　did　besiege　De　Witt's　house；　and　he　was　forced　to　flee　to　the　Prince　of　Orange；　who　is　gone　to　Cleve；　to　the　marriage　of　his　sister。　This　we　concluded　all　the　best　news；　and　my　Lord　Brouncker　and　myself　did　give　Sir　G。　Carteret　our　sixpence　a…piece；　which　he　did　give　Mr。　Smith　to　give　the　poor。　　Thus　we　made　ourselves　mighty　merry。
  17th。　　With　Captain　Erwin；　discoursing　about　the　East　Indys；　where　he　hath　often　been。　　And　among　other　things；　he　tells　me　how　the　King　of　Syam　seldom　goes　out　without　thirty　or　forty　thousand　people　with　him；　and　not　a　word　spoke；　nor　a　hum　or　cough　in　the　whole　company　to　be　heard。　　He　tells　me　the　punishment　frequently　there　for　malefactors；　is　cutting　off　the　crowns　of　their　head；　which　they　do　very　dexterously；　leaving　their　brains　bare；　which　kills　them　presently。　　He　told　me　what　I　remember　he　hath　once　done　heretofore；　that　every　body　is　to　lie　flat　down　at　the　coming　by　of　the　King　and　nobody　to　look　upon　him　upon　pain　of　death。　　And　that　he　and　his　fellows　being　strangers；　were　invited　to　see　the　sport　of　taking　of　a　wild　elephant；　and　they　did　only　kneel；　and　look　towards　the　King。　Their　druggerman　＇Dragoman。＇　　did　desire　them　to　fall　down；　for　otherwise　he　should　suffer　for　their　contempt　of　the　King。　　The　sport　being　ended；　a　messenger　comes　from　the　King；　which　the　druggerman　thought　had　been　to　have　taken　away　his　life。　　But　it　was　to　enquire　how　the　strangers　liked　the　sport。　　The　druggerman　answered；　that　they　did　cry　it　up　to　be　the　best　that　ever　they　saw；　and　that　they　never　heard　of　any　Prince　so　great　in　every　thing　as　this　King。　　The　messenger　being　gone　back；　Erwin　and　his　company　asked　their　druggerman　what　he　had　said；　which　he　told　them。　　〃But　why；〃　say　they；　〃would　you　say　that　without　our　leave；　it　being　not　true？〃〃It　makes　no　matter　for　that；〃　says　he；　〃I　must　have　said　it；　or　have　been　hanged；　for　our　King　do　not　live　by　meat；　nor　drink；　but　by　having　great　lyes　told　him。〃　In　our　way　back　we　come　by　a　little　vessel　that　come　into　the　river　this　morning；　and　says　she　left　the　fleet　in　Sole　Bay；　and　that　she　hath　not　heard　（she　belonging　to　Sir　W。　Jenings　in　the　fleet）　of　any　such　prizes　taken　as　the　ten　or　twelve　I　enquired　about；　and　said　by　Sir　W。　Batten　yesterday　to　be　taken；　so　I　fear　it　is　not　true。　　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　see　Mrs。　Stewart；　who　is　grown　a　little　too　tall；　but　is　a　woman　of　most　excellent　features。　　Sir　Richard　Ford　did；　very　understandingly　methought；　give　us　an　account　of　the　originall　of　the　Hollands　Bank；　and　the　nature　of　it；　and　how　they　do　never　give　any　interest　at　all　to　the　person　that　brings　in　their　money；　though　what　is　brought　in　upon　the　public　faith　interest　is　given　by　the　State　for。　　The　unsafe　condition　of　a　Bank　under　a　Monarch；　and　the　little　safety　to　a　Monarch　to　have　any；　or　Corporation　alone　（as　London　in　answer　to　Amsterdam；）　to　have　so　great　a　wealth　or　credit；　it　is　that　makes　it　hard　to　have　a　Bank　here。　　And　as　to　the　former；　he　did　tell　us　how　it　sticks　in　the　memory　of　most　merchants　how　the　late　King　（when　by　the　war　between　Holland　and　France　and　Spain　all　the　bullion　of　Spain　was　brought　hither；　one　third　of　it　to　be　coyned；　and　indeed　it　was　found　advantageous　to　the　merchant　to　coyne　most　of　it；）　was　persuaded　in　a　strait　by　my　Lord　Cottington　＇Francis；　created　Lord　Cottington；　Baron　of　Hanworth；　by　Charles　I。　　Died　at　Valladolid　1653；　S。P。＇　to　seize　upon　the　money　in　the　Tower：　　which；　though　in　a　few　days　the　merchants　concerned　did　prevail　to　get　it　released；　yet　the　thing　will　never　be　forgot。
  20th。　　To　Deptford　by　water；　reading　Othello；　Moore　of　Venice；　which　I　ever　heretofore　esteemed　a　mighty　good　play；　but　having　so　lately　read　The　Adventures　of　Five　Houres；　it　seems　a　mean　thing。　　All　the　afternoon　upon　my　Tangier　accounts；　getting　Tom　Wilson　to　help　me　in　writing　as　I　read；　and　I　find　myself　right　to　a　farthing　in　an　account　of　127；000l。
  21st。　　Mr。　Batelier　told　me　how；　being　with　some　others　at　Bourdeaux；　making　a　bargain　with　another　man　at　a　taverne　for　some　clarets；　they　did　hire　a　fellow　to　thunder　（which　he　had　the　art　of　doing　upon　a　deale　board）　and　to　rain　and　hail；　that　is；　make　the　noise　of；　so　as　did　give　them　a　pretence　of　undervaluing　their　merchants'　wines；　by　saying　this　thunder　would　spoil　and　turn　them　which　was　so　reasonable　to　the　merchant；　that　he　did　abate　two　pistolls　per　ton　for　the　wine　in　belief　of　that。
  22nd。　　I　to　St。　James's；　and　there　with　the　Duke　of　York。　　I　had　opportunity　of　much　talk　with　Sir　W。　Pen　to…day　（he　being　newly　come　from　the　fleet）；　and　he　do　much　undervalue　the　honour　that　is　given　to　the　conduct　of　the　late　business　of　Holmes　in　burning　the　ships　and　town；　saying　it　was　a　great　thing　indeed；　and　of　great　profit　to　us　in　being　of　great　loss　to　the　enemy；　but　that　it　was　wholly　a　business　of　chance。　　Mrs。　Knipp　tells　me　my　song　of　〃Beauty　Retire〃　is　mightily　cried　up；　which　I　am　not　a　little　proud　of；　and　do　think　I　have　done　〃It　is　Decreed〃　better；　but　I　have　not　finished　it。
  23rd。　　Sir　W。　Coventry　sent　me　word　that　the　Dutch　fleet　is　certainly　abroad；　and　so　we　are　to　hasten　all　we　have　to　send　to　our　fleet　with　all　speed。　　But；　Lord！　　to　see　how　my　Lord　Brouncker　undertakes　the　despatch　of　the　fire…ships；　when　he　is　no　more　fit　for　it　than　a　porter；　and　all　the　while　Sir　W。　Pen；　who　is　the　most　fit；　is　unwilling　to　displease　him；　and　do　not　look　after　it；　and　so　the　King's　work　is　like　to　be　well　done。
  26th。　　I　was　a　little　disturbed　with　news　my　Lord　Brouncker　brought　me；　that　we　are　to　attend　the　King　at　White　Hall　this　afternoon；　and　that　it　is　about　a　complaint　from　the　Generalls　against　us。　　Sir　W。　Pen　and　I　by　coach　to　White　Hall；　and　there　staid　till　the　King　and　Cabinet　met　in　the　Green　Chamber；　and　then　we　were　called　in；　and　there　the　King　begun　with　me；　to　hear　how　the　victualls　of　the　fleet　stood。　　I　did　in　a　long　discourse　tell　him　and　the　rest　（the　Duke　of　York；　Lord　Chancellor；　Lord　Treasurer；　both　the　Secretarys；　Sir　G。　Carteret；　and　Sir　W。　Coventry；）　how　it　stood；　wherein　they　seemed　satisfied；　but　press　mightily　for　more　supplies：　　and　the　letter　of　the　Generalls；　which　was　read；　did　lay　their　not　going　or　too　soon　returning　from　the　Dutch　coast；　this　next　bout；　to　the　want　of　victuals。　They　then　proceeded　to　the　enquiry　after　the　fire…ships；　and　did　all　very　superficially；　and　without　any　severity　at　all。　　But；　however；　I　was　in　pain；　after　we　come　out；　to　know　how　I　had　done；　and　here；　well　enough。　　But；　however；　it　shall　be　a　caution　to　me　to　prepare　myself　against　a　day　of　inquisition。　　Being　come　out；　I　met　with　Mr。　Moore；　and　he　and　I　an　hour　together　in　the　Gallery；　telling　me　how　far　they　are　gone　in　getting　my　Lord　Sandwich's　pardon；　so　as　the　Chancellor　is　prepared　in　it；　and　Sir　H。　Bennet；　do　promote　it；　and　the　warrant　for　the　King's　signing　is　drawn。　　The　business　between　my　Lord　Hinchingbroke　and　Mrs。　Mallet　is　quite　broke　off；　he　attended　her　at　Tunbridge；　and　she　declaring　her　affections　to　be　settled；　and　he　not　being　fully　pleased　with　the　vanity　and　liberty　of　her　carriage。　Thence　to　discourse　of　the　times；　and　he　tells　me　he　believes　both　my　Lord　Arlington　and　Sir　W。　Coventry；　as　well　as　my　Lord　Sandwich　and　Sir　G。　Carteret；　have　reason　to　fear；　and　are　afraid；　of　this　Parliament　now　coming　on。　　He　tells　me　that　Bristoll's　faction　is　getting　ground　space　against　my　Lord　Chancellor。　　He　told　me　that　my　old　Lord　Coventry　＇The　Lord　Keeper；　Ob。　1639…40。＇　was　a　cunning；　crafty　man；　and　did　make　as　many　bad　decrees　in　Chancery　as　any　man；　and　that　in　one　case；　that　occasioned　many　years'　dispute；　at　last　when　the　King　come　in；　it　was　hoped　by　the　party　grieved；　to　get　my　Lord　Chancellor　to　reverse　a　decree　of　his。　　Sir　W。　Coventry　took　the　opportunity　of　the　business　between　the　Duke　of　York　and　the　Duchess；　and　said　to　my　Lord　Chancellor；　that　he　had　rather　be　drawn　up　Holborne　to　be　hanged；　than　live　to　see　any　decree　of　his　father's　reversed。　　And　so　the　Chancellor　did　not　think　fit　to　do　it；　but　it　still　stands；　to　the　undoing　of　one　Norton；　a　printer；　about　his　right　to　the　printing　of　the