of　the　Tower　took　me　with　him；　and　would　have　me　to　the　Tower　to　dinner；　where　I　dined　at　the　head　of　his　table　next　his　lady；　who　is　comely　and　seeming　sober　and　stately；　but　very　proud　and　very　cunning　or　I　am　mistaken；　and　wanton　too。　　This　day's　work　will　bring　the　Lieutenant　of　the　Tower　350l。　　Thence　home；　and　upon　Tower　Hill　saw　about　3　or　400　seamen　get　together；　and　one　standing　upon　a　pile　of　bricks　made　his　sign　with　his　handkercher　upon　his　stick；　and　called　all　the　rest　to　him；　and　several　shouts　they　gave。　　This　made　me　afraid；　so　I　got　home　as　fast　as　I　could。　　But　by　and　by　Sir　W。　Batten　and　Sir　R。　Ford　do　tell　me　that　the　seamen　have　been　at　some　prisons　to　release　some　seamen；　and　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　is　in　armes　and　all　the　Guards　at　the　other　end　of　the　town；　and　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　is　gone　with　some　forces　to　Wapping　to　quell　the　seamen；　which　is　a　thing　of　infinite　disgrace　to　us。　　I　sat　long　talking　with　them。　　And；　among　other　things；　Sir　R。　Ford　did　make　me　understand　how　the　House　of　Commons　is　a　beast　not　to　be　understood；　it　being　impossible　to　know　beforehand　the　success　almost　of　any　small　plain　thing；　there　being　so　many　to　think　and　speak　to　any　business；　and　they　of　so　uncertain　minds　and　interests　and　passions。　　He　did　tell　me；　and　so　did　Sir　W。　Batten；　how　Sir　Allen　Brodericke　＇Son　of　Sir　Thomas　Broderick　of　Richmond；　Yorkshire；　and　Wandsworth；　Surrey；　knighted　by　Charles　II。；　and　Surveyor…General　in　Ireland　to　his　Majesty。＇　　and　Sir　Allen　Apsly　did　come　drunk　the　other　day　into　the　House；　and　did　both　speak　for　half　an　hour；　together；　and　could　not　be　either　laughed；　or　pulled；　or　bid　to　sit　down　and　hold　their　peace；　to　the　great　contempt　of　the　King's　servants　and　cause；　which　I　am　grieved　at　with　all　my　heart。
  23rd　（Lord's　day）。　　To　church；　where　a　vain　fellow　with　a　periwigg　preached；　Chaplain　（as　by　his　prayer　appeared）　to　the　Earle　of　Carlisle。
  24th。　　It　being　frost　and　dry；　as　far　as　Paul's；　and　so　back　again　through　the　City　by　Guildhall；　observing　the　ruins　thereabouts　till　I　did　truly　lose　myself。　　No　news　yet　of　our　Gottenburgh　fleet；　which　makes　us　have　some　fears；　it　being　of　mighty　concernment　to　have　our　supply　of　masts　safe。　　I　met　with　Mr。　Cade　to…night；　my　stationer；　and　he　tells　me　that　he　hears　for　certain；　that　the　Queene…Mother　is　about　and　hath　near　finished　a　peace　with　France；　which　as　a　Presbyterian　he　do　not　like；　but　seems　to　fear　it　will　be　a　means　to　introduce　Popery。
  26th。　　To　the　Duke's　house　to　a　play。　　It　was　indifferently　done；　Gosnell　not　singing；　but　a　new　wench　that　sings　naughtily。
  27th。　　Up；　and　called　up　by　the　King's　trumpets；　which　cost　me　10s。　　By　coach　to　the　King's　playhouse；　and　there　saw　〃The　Scornful　Lady〃　well　acted；　Doll　Common　doing　Abigail　most　excellently；　and　Knipp　the　widow　very　well；　（and　will　be　an　excellent　actor；　I　think。）　　In　other　parts　the　play　not　so　well　done　as　need　be　by　the　old　actors。　　This　day　a　house　or　two　was　blown　up　with　powder　in　the　Minorys；　and　several　people　spoiled；　and　manye　dug　out　from　under　the　rubbish。
  28th。　　I　to　my　Lord　Crewe's；　where　I　find　and　hear　the　news　how　my　Lord's　brother；　Mr。　Nathaniel　Crewe；　hath　an　estate　of　6　or　700l。　per　annum　left　him　by　the　death　of　as　old　acquaintance　of　his；　but　not　akin　to　him　at　all。　　And　this　man　is　dead　without　will；　but　had　above　ten　years　since　made　over　his　estate　to　this　Mr。　Crewe；　to　him　and　his　heirs　for　ever；　and　given　Mr。　Crewe　the　keeping　of　the　deeds　in　his　own　hand　all　this　time；　by　which；　if　he　would；　he　might　have　taken　present　possession　of　the　estate；　for　he　knew　what　they　were。　　This　is　as　great　an　action　of　confident　friendship　as　this　latter　age；　I　believe；　can　show。　From　hence　to　the　Duke's　house；　and　there　saw　〃Macbeth〃　most　excellently　acted；　and　a　most　excellent　play　for　variety。　　I　had　sent　for　my　wife　to　meet　me　there；　who　did　come：　　so　I　did　not　go　to　White　Hall；　and　got　my　Lord　Bellasses　to　get　me　into　the　playhouse；　and　there；　after　all　staying　above　an　hour　for　the　players　（the　King　and　all　waiting；　which　was　absurd；）　saw　〃Henry　the　Fifth〃　well　done　by　the　Duke's　people；　and　in　most　excellent　habit；　all　new　vests；　being　put　on　but　this　night。　　But　I　sat　so　high　and　far　off　that　I　missed　most　of　the　words；　and　sat　with　a　wind　coming　into　my　back　and　neck；　which　did　much　trouble　me。　The　play　continued　till　twelve　at　night；　and　then　up；　and　a　most　horrid　cold　night　it　was；　and　frosty；　and　moonshine。
  29th。　　Called　up　with　news　from　Sir　W。　Batten　that　Hogg　hath　brought　in　two　prizes　more：　　and　so　I　thither；　and　hear　the　particulars；　which　are　good；　one　of　them；　if　prize；　being　worth　4000l。：　　for　which　God　be　thanked！　　Then　to　the　office；　and　have　the　news　brought　us　of　Captain　Robinson's　coming　with　his　fleet　from　Gottenburgh：　　dispersed；　though；　by　foul　weather。　　But　he　hath　light　of　five　Dutch　men…of…war；　and　taken　three；　whereof　one　is　sunk；　which　is　very　good　news　to　close　up　the　year　with；　and　most　of　our　merchant…men　already　heard　of　to　be　safely　come　home；　though　after　long　lookings　for；　and　now　to　several　ports　as　they　could　make　them。
  30th　（Lord's　day）。　　To　church。　　Here　was　a　collection　for　the　sexton；　But　it　come　into　my　head　why　we　should　be　more　bold　in　making　the　collection　while　the　psalm　is　singing；　than　in　the　sermon　or　prayer。
  31st。　　To　my　accounts；　wherein　at　last　I　find　them　clear　and　right；　but　to　my　great　discontent　do　find　that　my　gettings　this　year　have　been　573l。　less　than　my　last：　　it　being　this　year　in　all　but　2986l。；　whereas；　the　last；　I　got　3560l。　　And　then　again　my　spendings　this　year　have　exceeded　my　spendings　the　last；　by　644l。：　　my　whole　spendings　last　year　being　but　509l。；　whereas　this　year　it　appears　I　have　spent　1154l。　which　is　a　sum　not　fit　to　be　said　that　ever　I　should　spend　in　one　year；　before　I　am　master　of　a　better　estate　than　I　am。　　Yet；　blessed　be　God！　　and　I　pray　God　make　me　thankful　for　it；　I　do　find　myself　worth　in　money；　all　good；　above　6200l。：　　which　is　above　1800l。　more　than　I　was　the　last　year。　　Thus　ends　this　year　of　publick　wonder　and　mischief　to　this　nation。　　Publick　matters　in　a　most　sad　condition；　seamen　discouraged　for　want　of　pay；　and　are　become　not　to　be　governed：　　nor；　as　matters　are　now；　can　any　fleet　go　out　next　year。　　Our　enemies；　French　and　Dutch；　great；　and　grow　more　by　our　poverty。　The　Parliament　backward　in　raising；　because　jealous　of　the　spending　of　the　money；　the　City　less　and　less　likely　to　be　built　again；　every　body　settling　elsewhere；　and　nobody　encouraged　to　trade。　　A　sad；　vicious；　negligent　Court；　and　all　sober　men　there　fearful　of　the　ruin　of　the　whole　kingdom　this　next　year；　from　which；　good　God　deliver　us！　　One　thing　I　reckon　remarkable　in　my　own　condition　is；　that　I　am　come　to　abound　in　good　plate；　so　as　at　all　entertainments　to　be　served　wholly　with　silver　plates；　having　two　dozen　and　a　half。
  JANUARY　2；　1666…7。　　My　wife　up；　and　with　Mrs。　Pen　to　walk　in　the　fields　to　frost…bite　themselves。　　I　find　the　Court　full　of　great　apprehensions　of　the　French；　who　have　certainly　shipped　landsmen；　great　numbers　at　Brest；　and　most　of　our　people　here　guess　his　design　for　Ireland。　　We　have　orders　to　send　all　the　ships　we　can　possible　to　the　Downes；　every　day　bringing　us　news　of　new　mutinies　among　the　seamen；　so　that　our　condition　is　like　to　be　very　miserable。　　Mr。　George　Montagu　tells　me　of　the　King　displeasing　the　House　of　Commons　by　evading　their　Bill　for　examining　Accounts；　and　putting　it　into　a　Commission；　though　therein　he　hath　left　out　Coventry　and　＇A　blank　in　the　MS。＇；　and　named　all　the　rest　the　Parliament　named；　and　all　country　Lords；　not　one　Courtier：　　this　do　not　please　them。　　He　finds　the　enmity　almost　over　for　my　Lord　Sandwich。　　Up　to　the　Painted　Chamber；　and　there　heard　a　conference　between　the　House　of　Lords　and　Commons　about　the　Wine　Patent；　which　I　was　exceeding　glad　to　be　at；　because　of　my　hearing　exceeding　good　discourses；　but　especially　from　the　Commons；　among　others　Mr。　Swinfen；　and　a　young　man；　one　Sir　Thomas　Meres：　　＇Knight；　M。P。　for　Lincoln；　made　a　Commissioner　of　the　Admiralty　1679。＇　　and　do　outdo　the　Lords　infinitely。　Alone　to　the　King's　house；　and　there　saw　〃The　Custome　of　the　Country；〃　＇A　tragi…comedy；　by　Beaumont　and　Fletcher。＇　　the　second　time　of　its　being　acted；　wherein　Knipp　does　the　Widow　well；　but　of　all　the　plays　that　ever　I　did　see；　the　worst；　having　neither　plot；　language；　nor　any　thing　in　the　earth　that　is　acceptable；　only　Knipp　sings　a　song　admirably。
  3rd。　　This　day；　I　hear；　hath　been　a　conference　between　the　two　Houses　about　the　Bill　for　examining　Accounts；　wherein　the　House　of　Lords　their　proceedings　in　petitioning　the　King　for　doing　it　by　Commission；　are　in　great　heat　voted　by　the　Commons；　after　the　conference；　unparliamentary。
  4th。　　Comes　our　company　to　dinner；　my　Lord　Brouncker；　Sir　W。　Pen；　his　lady；　and　Peg；　＇Their　daughter。＇　　and　her　servant；　Mr。　Lowther　＇＇Anthony　Lowther；　Esq。；　of　Marske；　Co。　York；　Ob。　1692。＇。　At　night　to　sup；　and　then　to　cards；　and　last　of　all　to　have　a　flaggon　of　ale　and　apples；　drunk　out　of　a　wood　cup；　as　a　Christmas　draught；　which　made　all　merry；　and　they　full　of　admiration　at　my　plate。　　Mr。　Lowther　a　pretty　gentleman；　too　good　for　Peg。　　Sir　W。　Pen　was　much　troubled　to　hear　the　song　I　sung；　〃The