ass　this　Bill　with　the　Proviso。　　But　tells　me；　that　the　Proviso　is　removed；　and　now　carried　that　it　shall　be　done　by　a　Bill　by　itself。　　He　tells　me　how　the　King　hath　lately　paid　above　30；000l。　to　clear　the　debts　of　my　Lady　Castlemaine's；　and　that　she　and　her　husband　are　parted　for　ever；　upon　good　terms；　never　to　trouble　one　another　more。　　He　says　that　he　hears　that　above　400；000l。　hath　gone　into　the　Privy…　purse　since　this　warr；　and　that　that　hath　consumed　so　much　of　our　money；　and　makes　the　King　and　Court　so　mad　to　be　brought　to　discover　it。　　The　very　good　newes　is　just　come　of　our　four　ships　from　Smyrna；　come　safe　without　convoy　even　into　the　Downes；　without　seeing　any　enemy；　which　is　the　best；　and　indeed　only　considerable　good　news　to　our　Exchange；　since　the　burning　of　the　City；　and　it　is　strange　to　see　how　it　do　cheer　up　men's　hearts。　Here　I　saw　shops　now　come　to　be　in　this　Exchange；　and　met　little　Batelier　who　sits　here　but　at　3l。　per　annum；　whereas　he　sat　at　the　other　at　100l。；　which　he　says　he　believes　will　prove　as　good　account　to　him　now　as　the　other　did　at　that　rent。　　They　talk　for　certain；　that　now　the　King　do　follow　Mrs。　Stewart　wholly；　and　my　Lady　Castlemaine　not　above　once　a…week；　that　the　Duke　of　York　do　not　haunt　my　Lady　Denham　so　much；　that　she　troubles　him　with　matters　of　State；　being　of　my　Lord　Bristoll's　faction；　and　that　he　avoids；　that　she　is　ill　still。　　News　this　day　from　Brampton；　of　Mr。　Ensum；　my　sister's　sweetheart；　being　dead：　　a　clowne。
  13th。　　W。　Hewer　dined　with　me；　and　showed　me　a　Gazette；　in　April　last；　（which　I　wonder　should　never　be　remembered　by　any　body；）　which　tells　how　several　persons　were　then　tried　for　their　lives；　and　were　found　guilty　of　a　design　of　killing　the　King；　and　destroying　the　Government；　and　as　a　means　to　it；　to　burn　the　City；　and　that　the　day　intended　for　the　plot　was　the　3rd　of　last　September。　　And　the　fire　did　indeed　break　out　on　the　2nd　of　September：　　which　is　very　strange；　methinks。　　＇This　circumstance　was　so　remarkable　that　it　has　been　thought　worth　while　extracting　the　whole　passage　from　the　Gazette　of　April　23…26；　1666：
  〃At　the　Sessions　in　the　Old　Bailey；　John　Rathbone；　an　old　Army　Colonel；　William　Saunders；　Henry　Tucker；　Thomas　Flint；　Thomas　Evans；　John　Myles；　Will。　Westcot；　and　John　Cole；　officers　or　soldiers　in　the　late　Rebellion；　were　indicted　for　conspiring　the　death　of　his　Majesty；　and　the　overthrow　of　the　Government。　Having　laid　their　plot　and　contrivance　for　the　surprisal　of　the　Tower；　the　killing　his　Grace　the　Lord　General；　Sir　John　Robinson；　Lieutenant　of　the　Tower；　and　Sir　Richard　Brown；　and　then　to　have　declared　for　an　equal　division　of　lands；　&c。　　THE　BETTER　TO　EFFECT　THIS　HELLISH　DESIGN；　THE　CITY　WAS　TO　HAVE　BEEN　FIRED；　and　the　portcullis　let　down　to　keep　out　all　assistance；　and　the　Horse　Guards　to　have　been　suprised　in　the　Inns　where　they　were　quartered；　several　ostlers　having　been　gained　for　that　purpose。　The　Tower　was　accordingly　viewed；　and　its　suprise　ordered　by　boats　over　the　moat；　and　from　thence　to　scale　the　wall。　　One　Alexander；　not　yet　taken；　had　likewise　distributed　money　to　these　conspirators；　and　for　the　carrying　on　the　design　most　effectually；　they　were　told　of　a　Council　of　the　great　ones　that　sat　frequently　in　London；　from　whom　issued　all　orders；　which　Council　received　their　directions　from　another　in　Holland；　who　sat　with　the　States；　and　that　the　THIRD　OF　SEPTEMBER　was　pitched　on　for　the　attempt；　as　being　found　by　Lilly's　Almanack；　and　a　scheme　erected　for　that　purpose；　to　be　a　lucky　day；　a　planet　then　ruling　which　prognosticated　the　downfall　of　Monarchy。　　The　evidence　against　these　persons　was　very　full　and　clear；　and　they　were　accordingly　found　guilty　of　High　Treason。〃＇
  14th。　　Met　my　good　friend　Mr。　Evelyn；　and　walked　with　him　a　good　while；　lamenting　our　condition　for　want　of　good　council；　and　the　King's　minding　of　his　business　and　servants。　　The　House　sat　till　three　o'clock；　and　then　up：　　and　I　home　with　Sir　Stephen　Fox　to　his　house　to　dinner；　and　the　Cofferer　＇William　Ashburnham；　an　officer　of　distinction　in　the　King's　Army　during　the　Civil　War；　and　after　the　Restoration　made　Cofferer　to　Charles　II。　　Ob。　s。p。　1671。＇　　with　us。　　There　I　found　his　Lady；　a　fine　woman；　and　seven　the　prettiest　children　of　theirs　that　ever　I　knew　almost。　　A　very　genteel　dinner；　and　in　great　state　and　fashion；　and　excellent　discourse：　　and　nothing　like　an　old　experienced　man　and　a　courtier；　and　such　is　the　Cofferer　Ashburnham。　　The　House　have　been　mighty　hot　to…day　against　the　Paper　Bill；　showing　all　manner　of　averseness　to　give　the　King　money；　which　these　courtiers　do　take　mighty　notice　of；　and　look　upon　the　others　as　bad　rebells　as　ever　the　last　were。　　But　the　courtiers　did　carry　it　against　those　men　upon　a　division　of　the　House；　a　great　many；　that　it　should　be　committed；　and　so　it　was：　　which　they　reckon　good　news。
  15th。　　To　the　office；　where　my　Lord　Brouncker　（newly　come　to　town　from　his　being　at　Chatham　and　Harwich　to　spy　enormities）：　　and　at　noon　I　with　him　and　his　lady；　Williams；　to　Captain　Cocke's；　where　a　good　dinner；　and　very　merry。　　Good　news　to…day　upon　the　Exchange；　that　our　Hamburgh　fleet　is　got　in；　and　good　hopes　that　we　will　soon　have　the　like　of　our　Gottenburgh；　and　then　we　shall　be　well　for　this　winter。　　And　by　and　by　comes　in　Matt　Wren　＇Matthew　Wren；　eldest　son　of　the　Bishop　of　Ely　of　both　his　names；　M。P。　for　St。　Michael's　1661；　and　made　Secretary　to　Lord　Clarendon；　after　whose　fall　he　filled　the　same　office　under　the　Duke　of　York　till　his　death　in　1672。　　He　was　one　of　the　earliest　Members　of　the　Royal　Society；　and　published　two　tracts　in　answer　to　Harrington's　Oceana。＇　　from　the　Parliament…House；　and　tells　us　that　he　and　all　his　party　of　the　House；　which　is　the　Court　party；　are　fools；　and　have　been　made　so　this　day　by　the　wise　men　of　the　other　side；　for　after　the　Court　party　had　carried　it　yesterday　so　powerfully　for　the　Paper　Bill；　yet　now　it　is　laid　aside　wholly；　and　to　be　supplied　by　a　land…tax；　which　it　is　true　will　do　well　and　will　be　the　sooner　finished；　which　was　the　great　argument　for　the　doing　of　it。　　But　then　it　shows　them　fools；　that　they　would　not　permit　this　to　have　been　done　six　weeks　ago；　which　they　might　have　had。　　And　next　they　have　parted　with　the　Paper　Bill；　which　when　once　begun　might　have　proved　a　very　good　flower　in　the　Crowne；　as　any　there。　　So　they　are　truly　outwitted　by　the　other　side。
  16th。　　To　White　Hall；　and　there　walked　up　and　down　to　the　Queene's　side；　and　there　saw　my　dear　Lady　Castlemaine；　who　continues　admirable；　methinks；　and　I　do　not　hear　that　but　the　King　is　the　same　to　her　still　as　ever。　　Anon　to　chapel　by　the　King's　closet；　and　heard　a　very　good　anthem。　　Then　with　Lord　Brouncker　to　Sir　W。　Coventry's　chamber；　and　there　we　sat　with　him　and　talked。　　He　is　weary　of　any　thing　to　do；　he　says；　in　the　Navy。　　He　tells　us　this　Committee　of　Accounts　will　enquire　sharply　into　our　office。　　To　Sir　P。　Neale's　chamber；　Sir　Edward　Walker　being　there；；　and　telling　us　how　he　hath　lost　many　fine　rowles　of　antiquity　in　heraldry　by　the　late　fire；　but　hath　saved　the　most　of　his　papers。　　Here　was　also　Dr。　Wallis；　＇John　Wallis；　S。T。P。　F。R。S。　Savilian　Professor　of　Geometry。　　Ob。　1703；　aged　87。＇　　the　famous　scholar　and　mathematician；　but　he　promises　little。　　The　Duke　of　Monmonth；　Lord　Brouncker　says；　spends　his　time　the　most　viciously　and　idle　of　any　man；　nor　will　be　fit　for　any　thing；　yet　he　speaks　as　if　it　were　not　impossible　but　the　King　would　own　him　for　his　son；　and　that　there　was　marriage　between　his　mother　and　him。
  17th。　　My　wife　well　home　in　the　evening　from　the　play；　which　I　was　glad　of；　it　being　cold　and　dark；　and　she　having　her　necklace　of　pearl　on；　and　none　but　Mercer　with　her。
  19th。　　Talked　of　the　King's　family　with　Mr。　Hingston；　the　organist。　　He　says　many　of　the　musique　are　ready　to　starve；　they　being　five　years　behind　hand　for　their　wages：　　nay；　Evens；　the　famous　man　upon　the　Harp；　having　not　his　equal　in　the　world；　did　the　other　day　die　for　mere　want；　and　was　fain　to　be　buried　at　the　almes　of　the　parish；　and　carried　to　his　grave　in　the　dark　at　night　without　one　linke；　but　that　Mr。　Hingston　met　it　by　chance；　and　did　give　12d。　to　buy　two　or　three　links。　　Thence　I　up　to　the　Lords'　House　to　enquire　for　my　Lord　Bellasses；　and　there　hear　how　at　a　conference　this　morning　between　the　two　Houses　about　the　business　of　the　Canary　Company；　my　Lord　Buckingham　leaning　rudely　over　my　Lord　Marquis　Dorchester；　＇Henry　second　Earl　of　Kingston；　created　Marquis　of　Dorchester　1645。　　Ob。　1680。　　See　an　account　of　this　quarrel　in　Lord　Clarendon's　Life。＇　　my　Lord　Dorchester　removed　his　elbow。　　Duke　of　Buckingham　asked　whether　he　was　uneasy；　Dorchester　replied；　yes；　and　that　he　durst　not　do　this　were　he　any　where　else：　　Buckingham　replied；　yes　he　would；　and　that　he　was　a　better　man　than　himself；　Dorchester　said　that　he　lyed。　　With　this　Buckingham　struck　off　his　hat；　and　took　him　by　his　periwigg；　and　pulled　it　aside；　and　held　him。　　My　Lord　Chamberlain　and　others　interposed；　and　upon　coming　into　the　House　the　Lords　did　order　them　both　to　the　Tower；　whither　they　are　to　go　this　afternoon。　　I　down　into　the　Hall；　and　there　the　Lieutenant　of　the　Tower　took　me　with　him；　and　would　have　me　to　the　Tower　to　dinner；　where　I　dined　at　the　head　o