o　go　to　Bredah　to　the　treaty；　and　do　design　to　be　going　the　next　week。
  11th。　　To　White　Hall；　thinking　there　to　have　seen　the　Duchesse　of　Newcastle's　coming　this　night　to　Court　to　make　a　visit　to　the　Queene；　the　King　having　been　with　her　yesterday　to　make　her　a　visit　since　her　coming　to　town。　　The　whole　story　of　this　lady　is　a　romance；　and　all　she　does　is　romantic。　　Her　footmen　in　velvet　coats；　and　herself　in　an　antique　dress；　as　they　say；　and　was　the　other　day　at　her　own　play；　〃The　Humourous　Lovers；〃　the　most　ridiculous　thing　that　ever　was　wrote；　but　yet　she　and　her　Lord　mightily　pleased　with　it；　and　she　at　the　end　made　her　respects　to　the　players　from　her　box；　and　did　give　them　thanks。　　There　is　as　much　expectation　of　her　coming　to　Court；　that　so　people　may　come　to　see　her；　as　if　it　were　the　Queene　of　Sweden；　but　I　lost　my　labour；　for　she　did　not　come　this　night。　　There　have　been　two　fires　in　the　City　within　this　week。
  12th。　　By　water　to　White　Hall；　and　there　did　our　usual　business　before　the　Duke　of　York：　　but　it　fell　out　that；　discoursing　of　matters　of　money；　it　rose　to　a　mighty　heat；　very　high　words　arising　between　Sir　G。　Carteret　and　Sir　W。　Coventry；　the　former　in　his　passion　saying　that　the　other　should　have　helped　things　if　they　were　so　bad；　and　the　other　answered；　so　he　would；　and　things　should　have　been　better　had　he　been　Treasurer　of　the　Navy。　　I　was　mightily　troubled　at　this　heat；　and　it　will　breed　ill　blood　between　them；　I　fear；　but　things　are　in　that　bad　condition；　that　I　do　daily　expect　we　shall　all　fly　in　one　another's　faces；　when　we　shall　be　reduced　every　one　to　answer　for　himself。　　We　broke　up；　and　I　soon　after　to　Sir　G。　Carteret's　chamber；　where　I　find　the　poor　man　telling　his　lady　privately；　and　she　weeping。　　I　went　in　to　them；　and　did　seem；　as　indeed　I　was；　troubled　for　this；　and　did　give　the　best　advice　I　could；　which　I　think　did　please　them：　and　they　do　apprehend　me　their　friend；　as　indeed　I　am；　for　I　do　take　the　Vice…chamberlain　for　a　most　honest　man。　　He　did　assure　me　that　he　was　not；　all　expences　and　things　paid；　clear　in　estate　15；000l。　better　than　he　was　when　the　King　come　in；　and　that　the　King　and　Lord　Chancellor　did　know　that　he　was　worth；　with　the　debt　the　King　owed　him；　50；000l。　（I　think　he　said）　when　the　King　come　into　England。
  15th。　　Called　up　by　Sir　H。　Cholmly；　who　tells　me　that　my　Lord　Middleton　＇John　first　Earl　of　Middleton　in　Scotland。＇　　is　for　certain　chosen　Governor　of　Tangier；　a　man　of　moderate　understanding；　not　covetous；　but　a　soldier　of　fortune；　and　poor。　To　the　King's　house　by　chance；　where　a　new　play：　　so　full　as　I　never　saw　it；　I　forced　to　stand　all　the　while　close　to　the　very　door　till　I　took　cold；　and　many　people　went　away　for　want　of　room。　　The　King　and　Queene　and　Duke　of　York　and　Duchesse　there；　and　all　the　Court；　and　Sir　W。　Coventry。　　The　play　called；　〃The　Change　of　Crownes：〃　a　play　of　Ned　Howard's；　＇A　younger　son　of　the　Earl　of　Berkshire；　and　brother　to　Sir　Robert　Howard。＇　　the　best　that　I　ever　saw　at　that　house；　being　a　great　play　and　serious；　only　Lacy　did　act　the　country…gentleman　come　up　to　Court；　who　do　abuse　the　Court　with　all　the　imaginable　wit　and　plainness　about　selling　of　places；　and　doing　every　thing　for　money。　　The　play　took　very　much。　　Thence　I　to　my　new　bookseller's；　and　there　bought　〃Hooker's　Polity；〃　the　new　edition；　and　〃Dugdale's　History　of　the　Inns　of　Court；〃　of　which　there　was　but　a　few　saved　out　of　the　fire。　　Carried　my　wife　to　see　the　new　play　I　saw　yesterday：　but　there；　contrary　to　expectation；　I　find　〃The　Silent　Woman。〃
  16th。　　Knipp　tells　me　the　King　was　so　angry　at　the　liberty　taken　by　Lacy's　part　to　abuse　him　to　his　face；　that　he　commanded　they　should　act　no　more；　till　Moone　＇Michael　Mohun；　a　celebrated　actor　belonging　to　the　King's　Company；　he　had　served　as　a　Major　in　the　Royal　Army。＇　　went　and　got　leave　for　them　to　act　again；　but　not　this　play。　　The　King　mighty　angry；　and　it　was　bitter　indeed；　but　very　fine　and　witty　I　never　was　more　taken　with　a　play　than　I　am　with　this　〃Silent　Woman；〃　as　old　as　it　is；　and　as　often　as　I　have　seen　it。　　There　is　more　wit　in　it　than　goes　to　ten　new　plays。　Pierce　told　us　the　story　how　in　good　earnest　the　King　is　offended　with　the　Duke　of　Richmond's　marrying　and　Mrs。　Stewart's　sending　the　King　his　jewels　again。　　As　she　tells　it；　it　is　the　noblest　romance：　　and　example　of　a　brave　lady　that　ever　I　read　in　my　life。
  17th。　　In　our　way　in　Tower…street　we　saw　Desbrough　＇Major…general　John　Desborough；　Cromwell's　brother…in…law；　and　one　of　his　CounciI　of　State；　afterwards　promoted　to　the　（Chancellorship　of　Ireland　by　his　nephew　Richard。＇　　walking　on　foot；　who　is　now　no　more　a　prisoner；　and　looks　well；　and　just　as　he　used　to　do　heretofore。
  19th。　　Some　talk　about　Sir　W。　Pen's　being　to　buy　Wanstead…House　of　Sir　Robert　Brookes。
  20th。　　Met　Mr。　Rolt；　who　tells　me　the　reason　of　no　play　today　at　the　King's　house。　　That　Lacy　had　been　committed　to　the　porter's　lodge　for　his　acting　his　part　in　the　late　new　play；　and　being　thence　released　to　come　to　the　King's　house；　he　there　met　with　Ned　Howard；　the　poet　of　the　play；　who　congratulated　his　release；　upon　which　Lacy　cursed　him　as　that　it　was　the　fault　of　his　nonsensical　play　that　was　the　cause　of　his　ill　usage。　　Mr。　Howard　did　give　him　some　reply：　　to　which　Lacy　answered　him；　that　he　was　more　a　fool　than　a　poet；　upon　which　Howard　did　give　him　a　blow　on　the　face　with　his　glove；　on　which　Lacy；　having　a　cane　in　his　hand；　did　give　him　a　blow　over　the　pate。　　Here　Rolt　and　others　that　discoursed　of　it；　in　the　pit　this　afternoon；　did　wonder　that　Howard　did　not　run　him　through；　he　being　too　mean　a　fellow　to　fight　with。　　But　Howard　did　not　do　any　thing　but　complain　to　the　King　of　it；　so　the　whole　house　is　silenced：　　and　the　gentry　seem　to　rejoice　much　at　it；　the　house　being　become　too　insolent。　　I　have　a　mind　to　buy　enough　ground　to　build　a　coach…house　and　stable；　for　I　have　had　it　much　in　my　thoughts　lately　that　it　is　not　too　much　for　me　now　in　degree　or　cost　to　keep　a　coach；　but　contrarily；　that　I　am　almost　ashamed　to　be　seen　in　a　hackney。　　To　Hackney　church。　　A　knight　and　his　lady　very　civil　to　me　when　they　came；　being　Sir　George　Viner；　and　his　lady　in　rich　jewells；　but　most　in　beauty：　　almost　the　finest　woman　that　ever　I　saw。　　That　which　I　went　chiefly　to　see　was　the　young　ladies　of　the　schools；　whereof　there　is　great　store；　very　pretty；　and　also　the　organ；　which　is　handsome；　and　tunes　the　psalm　and　plays　with　the　people；　which　is　mighty　pretty；　and　makes　me　mighty　earnest　to　have　a　pair　at　our　church：　　I　having　almost　a　mind　to　give　them　a　pair　if　they　would　settle　a　maintenance　on　them　for　it。
  22nd。　　To　the　Lord　Chancellor's　house；　the　first　time　I　have　been　therein；　and　it　is　very　noble；　and　brave　pictures　of　the　ancient　and　present　nobility。　　The　King　was　vexed　the　other　day　for　having　no　paper　laid　for　him　at　the　Council　table；　as　was　usual；　and　Sir　Richard　Browne　did　tell　his　Majesty　he　would　call　the　person　whose　work　it　was　to　provide　it：　　who　being　come；　did　tell　his　Majesty　that　he　was　but　a　poor　man；　and　was　out　4　or　500l。　for　it；　which　was　as　much　as　he　is　worth；　and　that　he　cannot　provide　it　any　longer　without　money；　having　not　received　a　penny　since　the　King's　coming　in。　　So　the　King　spoke　to　my　Lord　Chamberlain。　　And　many　such　mementos　the　King　do　now…a…days　meet　withall；　enough　to　make　an　ingenuous　man　mad。
  23rd。　　St。　George's…day；　the　feast　being　kept　at　White　Hall；　out　of　design；　as　it　is　thought；　to　make　the　best　coutenance　we　can　to　the　Swede's　Embassadors　before　their　leaving　us　to　go　to　the　treaty　abroad；　to　show　some　jollity。
  24th。　　To　Sir　John　Duncomb's　lodging　in　the　Pell　Mell；　in　order　to　the　money　spoken　of　in　the　morning；　and　there　awhile　sat　and　discoursed：　　and　I　find　that　he　is　a　very　proper　man　for　business；　being　very　resolute　and　proud；　and　industrious。　　He　told　me　what　reformation　they　had　made　in　the　office　of　the　Ordnance；　taking　away　Legg's　fees：　　have　got　an　order　that　no　Treasurer　after　him　shall　ever　sit　at　the　Board；　and　it　is　a　good　one：　　that　no　Master　of　the　Ordnance　here　shall　ever　sell　a　place。　　He　tells　me　they　have　not　paid　any　increase　of　price　for　any　thing　during　this　war；　but　in　most　have　paid　less；　and　at　this　day　have　greater　stores　than　they　know　where　to　lay　if　there　should　be　peace；　and　than　ever　was　any　time　this　war。　　Then　to　talk　of　news：　　that　he　thinks　the　want　of　money　hath　undone　the　King；　for　the　Parliament　will　never　give　the　King　more　money　without；　calling　all　people　to　account；　nor；　as　he　believes；　will　ever　make　war　again；　but　they　will　manage　it　themselves：　　unless；　which　I　proposed；　he　would　visibly　become　a　severer　inspector　into　his　own　business　and　accounts；　and　that　would　gain　upon　the　Parliament　yet：　　which　he　confesses　and　confirms　as　the　only　lift　to　set　him　upon　his　legs；　but　says　that　it　is　not；　in　his　nature　ever　to　do。　　He　thinks　that　much　of　our　misfortune　hath　been　for　want　of　an　active　Lord　Treasurer；　and　that　such　a　man　as　Sir　W。　Coventry　would　do　the　business　thoroughly。
  26th。　　To　White　Hall；　and　there　saw　the　Duke　of　Albemarle；　who　is　not　well；　and　do　grow　crazy。　　While　I　was　waiting　in　the　Matted　Gallery；　a　young　man　was　working　in　Indian　inke；　the　great　picture　of　the　King　and　Queene　s