mself　obliged　by　it。　　My　Lord　Sandwich　hath　referred　it　to　my　Lord　Crewe；　Sir　G。　Carteret；　and　Mr。　Montagu；　to　end　it。　　My　Lord　Hinchingbroke　and　the　ladies　know　nothing　yet　of　it。　　It　will；　I　think；　be　very　happy。
  30th；　I　met　with　Mr。　Pierce；　and　he　tells　me　the　Duke　of　Cambridge　is　very　ill　and　full　of　spots　about　his　body；　that　Dr。　Frazier　knows　not　what　to　think　of　it。
  MAY　1。　　1667。　　To　Westminster；　in　the　way　meeting　many　milk…maids　with　their　garlands　upon　their　pails；　dancing　with　a　fiddler　before　them；　and　saw　pretty　Nelly　＇Nell　Gwynne。＇　　standing　at　her　lodgings'　door　in　Drury…lane　in　her　smock　sleeves　and　bodice；　looking　upon　one：　　she　seemed　a　mighty　pretty　creature。　　My　Lord　Crewe　walked　with　me；　giving　me　an　account　of　the　meeting　of　the　Commissioners　for　Accounts；　whereof　he　is　one。　　How　some　of　the　gentlemen；　Garraway；　Littleton；　and　others；　did　scruple　at　their　first　coming　there；　being　called　thither　to　act；　as　Members　of　Parliament；　which　they　could　not　do　by　any　authority　but　that　of　the　Parliament；　and　therefore　desired　the　King's　direction　in　it；　which　was　sent　for　by　my　Lord　Bridgewater；　who　brought　answer；　very　short；　that　the　King　expected　they　should　obey　his　Commission。　　Then　they　went　on　and　observed　upon　a　power　to　be　given　them　of　administering　and　framing　an　oath；　which　they　thought　they　could　not　do　by　any　power　but　Act　of　Parliament；　and　the　whole　Commission　did　think　fit　to　have　the　Judges'　opinion　in　it；　and　so　drawing　up　their　scruples　in　writing　they　all　attended　the　King；　who　told　them　he　would　send　to　the　Judges　to　be　answered；　and　did　so；　who　have；　my　Lord　tells　me；　met　three　times　about　it；　not　knowing　what　answer　to　give　it：　　and　they　have　met　this　week；　doing　nothing　but　expecting　the　solution　of　the　Judges　in　this　point。　　My　Lord　tells　me　he　do　believe　this　Commission　will　do　more　hurt　than　good：　　it　may　undo　some　accounts；　if　these　men　shall　think　fit；　but　it　can　never　clear　an　account；　for　he　must　come　into　the　Exchequer　for　all　this。　　Besides；　it　is　a　kind　of　inquisition　that　hath　seldom　ever　been　granted　in　England：　and　he　believes　it　will　never；　besides；　give　any　satisfaction　to　the　People　or　Parliament；　but　be　looked　upon　as　a　forced；　packed　business　of　the　King；　especially　if　these　Parliament…men　that　are　of　it　shall　not　concur　with　them；　which　he　doubts　they　will　not；　and　therefore　wishes　much　that　the　King　would　lay　hold　of　this　fit　occasion　and　let　the　Commission　fall。　　Then　to　talk　of　my　Lord　Sandwich；　whom　my　Lord　Crewe　hath　a　great　desire　might　get　to　be　Lord　Treasurer　if　the　present　Lord　should　die；　as　it　is　believed　he　will　in　a　little　time；　and　thinks　he　can　have　no　competitor　but　my　Lord　Arlington；　who；　it　is　given　out；　desires　it：　　but　my　Lord　thinks　not；　for　that　the　being　Secretary　do　keep　him　a　greater　interest　with　the　King　than　the　other　would　do；　at　least　do　believe　that　if　my　Lord　would　surrender　him　his　Wardrobe　place；　it　would　be　a　temptation　to　Arlington　to　assist　my　Lord　in　getting　the　Treasurer's。　　I　did　object　to　my　Lord　that　it　would　be　no　place　of　content；　nor　safety；　nor　honour　for　my　Lord；　the　State　being　so　indigent　as　it　is；　and　the　King　so　irregular；　and　those　about　him；　that　my　Lord　must　be　forced　to　part　with　any　thing　to　answer　his　warrants；　and　that；　therefore；　I　do　believe　the　King　had　rather　have　a　man　that　may　be　one　of　his　vicious　caball；　than　a　sober　man　that　will　mind　the　publick；　that　so　they　may　sit　at　cards　and　dispose　of　the　revenue　of　the　kingdom。　　This　my　Lord　was　moved　at；　and　said　he　did　not　indeed　know　how　to　answer　it；　and　bid　me　think　of　it；　and　so　said　he　himself　would　also　do。　　He　do　mightily　cry　out　of　the　bad　management　of　our　monies；　the　King　having　had　so　much　given　him；　and　yet　when　the　Parliament　do　find　that　the　King　should　have　900；000l。　in　his　purse　by　the　best　account　of　issues　they　have　yet　seen；　yet　we　should　report　in　the　Navy　a　debt　due　from　the　King　of　900；000l。：　which　I　did　confess　I　doubted　was　true　in　the　first；　and　knew　to　be　true　in　the　last；　and　did　believe　that　there　was　some　great　miscarriages　in　it：　　which　he　owned　to　believe　also；　saying；　that　at　this　rate　it　is　not　in　the　power　of　the　kingdom　to　make　a　war；　nor　answer　the　King's　wants。　　Thence　away　to　the　King's　playhouse；　and　saw　〃Love　in　a　Maze：〃　＇Downes　mentions　this　play；　which　was　never　printed；　nor　is　the　author　known。＇　　but　a　sorry　play；　only　Lacy's　clowne's　part；　which　he　did　most　admirably　indeed；　and　I　am　glad　to　find　the　rogue　at　liberty　again。　　Here　was　but　little；　and　that　ordinary　company。　　We　sat　at　the　upper　bench　next　the　boxes；　and　I　find　it　do　pretty　well；　and　have　the　advantage　of　seeing　and　hearing　the　great　people；　which　may　be　pleasant　when　there　is　good　store。　　Now　was　only　Prince　Rupert　and　my　Lord　Lauderdale；　and　my　Lord　；　＇Probaby　Craven。＇　　the　naming　of　whom　puts　me　in　mind　of　my　seeing　at　Sir　Robert　Viner's　two　or　three　great　silver　flagons；　made　with　inscriptions　as　gifts　of　the　King　to　such　and　such　persons　of　quality　as　did　stay　in　town　the　late　great　plague；　for　the　keeping　things　in　order　in　the　town。　　Thence　Sir　W。　Pen　and　I　in　his　coach　Tiburne　way　into　the　Park；　where　a　horrid　dust；　and　number　of　coaches；　without　pleasure　or　order。　　That　which　we　and　almost　all　went　for　was　to　see　my　Lady　Newcastle；　which　we　could　not；　she　being　followed　and　crowded　upon　by　coaches　all　the　way　she　went；　that　nobody　could　come　near　her；　only　I　could　see　she　was　in　a　large　black　coach　adorned　with　silver　instead　of　gold；　and　so　white　curtains；　and　every　thing　black　and　white；　and　herself　in　her　cap。　　Sir　W。　Pen　did　give　me　an　account　this　afternoon　of　his　design　of　buying　Sir　Robert　Brookes's　fine　house　at　Wansted：　　which　I　so　wondered　at；　and　did　give　him　reasons　against　it；　which　he　allowed　of：　　and　told　me　that　he　did　intend　to　pull　down　the　house　and　build　a　less；　and　that　he　should　get　1500l。　by　the　old　house；　and　I　know　not　what　fooleries。　　But　I　will　never　believe　he　ever　intended　to　buy　it；　for　my　part；　though　he　troubled　Mr。　Gauden　to　go　and　look　upon　it；　and　advise　him　in　it；
  3rd。　　To　the　Duke　of　York's　chamber；　which；　as　it　is　now　fretted　at　the　top；　and　the　chimney…piece　made　handsome；　is　one　of　the　noblest　and　best…proportioned　rooms　that　ever；　I　think　I　saw。　　To　Westminster　by　coach：　　the　Cofferer　＇Mr。　Ashburnham。＇　　telling　us　odd　stories　how　he　was　dealt　with　by　the　men　of　the　Church　at　Westminster　in　taking　a　lease　of　them　at　the　King's　coming　in；　and　particularly　the　devilish　covetousness　of　Dr。　Busby。　＇Richard　Busby；　D。D。；　Master　of　Westminster　School；　and　in　1660　made　a　Prebendary　of　Westminster。　　Notwithstanding　the　character　given　of　him　here；　he　was　a　liberal　benefactor　to　Christ　Church；　Oxford；　and　Lichfield　Cathedral。　　Ob。　1695；；　aged　89。＇　　Took　a　turn　with　my　old　acquaintance　Mr。　Pechell；　whose　red　nose　makes　me　ashamed　to　be　seen　with　him；　though　otherwise　a　good…natured　man。　　This　day　the　news　is　come　that　the　fleet　of　the　Dutch；　of　about　20　ships；　which　come　upon　our　coasts　upon　design　to　have　intercepted　our　colliers　（but　by　good　luck　failed）；　is　gone　to　the　Frith；　and　there　lies；　perhaps　to　trouble　the　Scotch　privateers；　which　have　galled　them　of　late　very　much；　it　may　be　more　than　all　our　last　year's　fleet。
  5th。　　Sir　John　Robinson　tells　me　he　hath　now　got　a　street　ordered　to　be　continued；　forty　feet　broad；　from　Paul's　through　Cannon…　street　to　the　Tower；　which　will　be　very　fine。　　He　and　others　this　day；　where　I　was　in　the　afternoon；　do　tell　me　of　at　least　six　or　eight　fires　within　these　few　days；　and　continually　stirs　of　fire；　and　real　fires　there　have　been；　in　one　place　or　other；　almost　ever　since　the　late　great　fire；　as　if　there　was　a　fate　sent　people　for　fire。　　I　walked　over　the　Park　to　Sir　W。　Coventry's。　We　talked　of　Tangier；　of　which　he　is　ashamed；　also　that　it　should　put　the　King　to　this　charge　for　no　good　in　the　world：　　and　now　a　man　going　over　that　is　a　good　soldier；　but　a　debauched　man；　which　the　place　need　not　to　have。　　And　so　used　these　words：　　〃That　this　place　was　to　the　King　as　my　Lord　Carnarvon　＇Charles　Dormer　succeeded　his　father；　who　fell　at　the　battle　of　Newbury；　as　Earl　of　Carnarvon。　　Ob。　s。p。　1709。＇　　says　of　wood；　that　it　is　an　excrescence　of　the　earth　provided　by　God　for　the　payment　of　debts。　　〃This　day　Sir　W。　Coventry　tells　me　the　Dutch　fleet　shot　some　shot；　four　or　five　hundred；　into　Burnt　Island　in　the　Frith；　but　without　any　hurt；　and　so　are　gone。
  7th。　　To　St。　James's；　but　there　find　Sir　W。　Coventry　gone　out　betimes　this　morning　on　horseback　with　the　King　and　Duke　of　York　to　Putny…heath；　to　run　some　horses。
  8th。　　In　our　street；　at　the　Three　Tuns　Tavern；　I　find　a　great　hubbub：　　and　what　was　it　but　two　brothers　had　fallen　out；　and　one　killed　the　other？　　And　who　should　they　be　but　the　two　Fieldings？　one　whereof；　Bazill；　was　page　to　my　Lady　Sandwich；　and　he　hath　killed　the　other；　himself　being　very　drunk；　and　so　is　sent　to　Newgate。
  10th。　　At　noon　to　Kent's；　at　the　Three　Tuns　Tavern：　　and　there　the　constable　of　the　parish　did　show　us　the　picklocks　and　dice　that　were　found　in　the　dead　man's　pocket；　and　but　18d。　in　money；　and　a　table…book；　wherein　were　entered　the　names　of　several　places　where　he　was　to　go；　and　among　others　his　house；　where　he　was　to　dine；　and　did　dine　yesterd