p　again。
  24th。　　Betimes　this　morning　comes　a　letter　from　the　Clerk　of　the　Cheque　at　Gravesend　to　me；　to　tell　me　that　the　Dutch　fleet　did　come　all　into　the　Hope　yesterday　noon；　and　held　a　fight　with　our　ships　from　thence　till　seven　at　night；　that　they　had　burned　twelve　fire…ships；　and　we　took　one　of　theirs；　and　burned　five　of　our　fire…ships。　　But　then　rising　and　going　to　Sir　W。　Batten；　he　tells　me　that　we　have　burned　one　of　their　men…of…war；　and　another　of　theirs　is　blown　up：　　but　how　true　this　is；　I　know　not。　　But　these　fellows　are　mighty　bold；　and　have　had　the　fortune　of　the　wind　easterly　this　time　to　bring　them　up；　and　prevent　our　troubling　them　with　our　fire…ships；　and；　indeed；　have　had　the　winds　at　their　command　from　the　beginning；　and　now　do　take　the　beginning　of　the　spring；　as　if　they　had　some　great　design　to　do。　About　five　o'clock　down　to　Gravesend；　and　as　we　come　nearer　Gravesend；　we　hear　the　Dutch　fleet　and　ours　a…firing　their　guns　most　distinctly　and　loud。　　So　I　landed　and　discoursed　with　the　landlord　of　the　Ship；　who　undeceives　me　in　what　I　heard　this　morning　about　the　Dutch　having　lost　two　men…of…war；　for　it　is　not　so；　but　several　of　their　fire…ships。　　He　do　say；　that　this　afternoon　they　did　force　our　ships　to　retreat；　but　that　now　they　are　gone　down　as　far　as　Shield…haven：　　but　what　the　event　hath　been　of　this　evening's　guns　they　know　not；　but　suppose　not　much　for　they　have　all　this　while　shot　at　good　distance　one　from　another。　　They　seem　confident　of　the　security　of　this　town　and　the　River　above　it；　if　ever　the　enemy　should　come　up　so　high；　their　fortifications　being　so　good；　and　guns　many。　　But　he　do　say　that　people　do　complain　of　Sir　Edward　Spragg；　that　he　hath　not　done　extraordinary；　and　more　of　Sir　W。　Jenings；　that　he　came　up　with　his　tamkins　＇Tamkin　or　Tompion；　the　stopple　of　a　great　gun。＇　in　his　guns。
  25th。　　I　demanded　of　Sir　R。　Ford　and　the　rest；　what　passed　to…day　at　the　meeting　of　Parliament：　　who　told　me　that；　contrary　to　all　expectation　by　the　King　that　there　would　be　but　a　thin　meeting；　there　met　above　300　this　first　day；　and　all　the　discontented　party；　and；　indeed；　the　whole　House　seems　to　be　no　other　almost。　The　Speaker　told　them；　as　soon　as　they　were　sat；　that　he　was　ordered　by　the　King　to　let　them　know　he　was　hindered　by　some　important　business　to　come　to　them　and　speak　to　them；　as　he　intended；　and；　therefore；　ordered　him　to　move　that　they　would　adjourn　themselves　till　Monday　next；　（it　being　very　plain　to　all　the　House　that　he　expects　to　hear　by　that　time　of　the　sealing　of　the　peace；　which　by　letters；　it　seems；　from　my　Lord　Hollis　was　to　be　sealed　the　last　Sunday。）　　But　before　they　would　come　to　the　question　whether　they　would　adjourn；　Sir　Thomas　Tomkins　steps　up　and　tells　them；　that　all　the　country　is　grieved　at　this　new…　raised　standing…army；　and　that　they　thought　themselves　safe　enough　in　their　trayn…bands：　　and　that；　therefore；　he　desired　the　King　might　be　moved　to　disband　them。　　Then　rises　Garraway　and　seconds　him；　only　with　this　explanation；　（which　he　said　he　believed　the　other　meant；）　that；　as　soon　as　peace　should　be　concluded；　they　might　be　disbanded。　　Then　rose　Sir　W。　Coventry；　and　told　them　that　he　did　approve　of　what　the　last　gentleman　said；　but　also；　that　at　the　same　time　he　did　no　more　than　what　he　durst　be　bold　to　say　he　knew　to　be　the　King's　mind；　that　as　soon　as　peace　was　concluded　he　would　do　it　of　himself。　　Then　rose　Sir　Thomas　Littleton；　and　did　give　several　reasons　from　the　uncertainty　of　their　meeting　again　but　to　adjourne；　（in　case　news　comes　of　the　peace　being　ended　before　Monday　next；）　and　the　possibility　of　the　King's　having　some　about　him　that　may　endeavour　to　alter　his　own；　and　the　good　part　of　his　Council's　advice；　for　the　keeping　up　of　the　land…army：　　and；　therefore；　it　was　fit　that　they　did　present　it　to　the　King　as　their　desire；　that　as　soon　as　peace　was　concluded　the　land…army　might　be　laid　down；　and　that　this　their　request　might　be　carried　to　the　King　by　them　of　their　House　that　were　Privy…councillors；　which　was　put　to　the　vote；　and　carried　NEMINE　CONTRADICENTE。　　So　after　this　vote　passed；　they　adjourned：　　but　it　is　plain　what　the　effects　of　this　Parliament　will　be；　if　they　be　suffered　to　sit；　that　they　will　fall　foul　upon　the　faults　of　the　Government；　and　I　pray　God　they　may　be　permitted　to　do　it；　for　nothing　else；　I　fear；　will　save　the　King　and　kingdom　than　the　doing　it　betimes。
  27th。　　To　the　office；　where　I　hear　that　Sir　John　Coventry　＇Nephew　to　Sir　William　and　Henry　Coventry；　created　K。B。　at　Charles　II。's　coronation；　and　M。P。　for　Weymouth　in　several　Parliaments。　　The　outrage　committed　on　his　person　by　Sir　Thomas　Sandys；　O'Bryan；　and　others；　who　cut　his　nose　to　the　bone；　gave　rise　to　the　passing　a　Bill　still　known　by　the　name　of　〃THE　COVENTRY　ACT。〃＇　is　come　over　from　Bredagh；　（a　nephew；　I　think；　of　Sir　W。　Coventry's）；　but　what　message　he　brings　I　know　not。　　This　morning　news　is　come　that　Sir　Jos。　Jordan　is　come　from　Harwich；　with　sixteen　fire…ships　and　four　other　little　ships　of　war；　and　did　attempt　to　do　some　execution　upon　the　enemy；　but　did；　it　without　discretion；　as　most　do　say；　so　as　they　have　been　able　to　do　no　good；　but　have　lost　four　of　their　fire…ships。　　They　attempted　this；　it　seems；　when　the　wind　was　too　strong；　that　our　grapplings　could　not　hold：　　others　say　we　came　to　leeward　of　them；　but　all　condemn　it　as　a　foolish　management。　　They　are　come　to　Sir　Edward　Spragg　about　Lee；　and　the　Dutch　are　below　at　the　Nore。　　At　the　office　all　the　morning：　　and　at　noon　to　the　'Change；　where　I　met　Fenn。　　And　he　tells　me　that　Sir　John　Coventry　do　bring　the　confirmation　of　the　peace；　but　I　do　not　find　the　'Change　at　all　glad　of　it；　but　rather　the　worse；　they　looking　upon　it　as　a　peace　made　only　to　preserve　the　King　for　a　time　in　his　lusts　and　ease；　and　to　sacrifice　trade　and　his　kingdoms　only　to　his　own　pleasures；　so　that　the　hearts　of　merchants　are　quite　down。　　He　tells　me　that　the　King　and　my　Lady　Castlemaine　are　quite　broke　off；　and　she　is　gone　away；　and　is　with　child；　and　swears　the　King　shall　own　it；　and　she　will　have　it　christened　in　the　Chapel　at　White　Hall　so；　and　owned　for　the　King's；　as　other　Kings　have　done；　or　she　will　bring　it　into　White　Hall　gallery；　and　dash　the　brains　of　it　out　before　the　King's　face。　　He　tells　me　that　the　King　and　Court　were　never　in　the　world　so　bad　as　they　are　now　for　gaming；　swearing；　women；　and　drinking；　and　the　most　abominable　vices　that　ever　were　in　the　world；　so　that　all　must　come　to　nought。　　He　told　me　that　Sir　G。　Carteret　was　at　this　end　of　the　town：　　so　I　went　to　visit；　him　in　Broad…street。　　And　there　he　and　I　together：　　and　he　is　mightily　pleased　with　my　Lady　Jem's　having　a　son；　and　a　mighty　glad　man　he　is。　　He　tells　me；　as　to　news；　that；　the　peace　is　now　confirmed；　and　all　that　over。　　He　says　it　was　a　very　unhappy　motion　in　the　House　the　other　day　about　the　land…army；　for　whether　the　King　hath　a　mind　of　his　own　to　do　the　thing　desired；　or　no；　his　doing　it　will　be　looked　upon　as　a　thing　done　only　in　fear　of　the　Parliament。　　He　says　that　the　Duke　of　York　is　suspected　to　be　the　great　man　that　is　for　raising　this　army；　and　bringing　things　to　be　commanded　by　an　army；　but　that　he　do　know　that　he　is　wronged　therein。　　He　do　say　that　the　Court　is　in　a　way　to　ruin　all　for　their　pleasures；　and　says　that　he　himself　hath　once　taken　the　liberty　to　tell　the　King　the　necessity　of　having　at　least　a　show　of　religion　in　the　Government；　and　sobriety；　and　that　it　was　that　that　did　set　up　and　keep　up　Oliver；　though　he　was　the　greatest　rogue　in　the　world。　　He　tells　me　the　King　adheres　to　no　man；　but　this　day　delivers　himself　up　to　this　and　the　next　to　that；　to　the　ruin　of　himself　and　business：　　that　he　is　at　the　command　of　any　woman　like　a　slave；　though　he　be　the　best　man　to　the　Queene　in　the　world；　with　so　much　respect；　and　never　lies　a　night　from　her；　but　yet　cannot　command　himself　in　the　presence　of　a　woman　he　likes。　It　raining　this　day　all　day　to　our　great　joy；　it　having　not　rained；　I　think；　this　month　before；　so　as　the　ground　was　every　where　so　burned　and　dry　as　could　be；　and　no　travelling　in　the　road　or　streets　in　London；　for　dust。
  28th。　　All　the　morning　close　to　draw　up　a　letter　to　Sir　W。　Coventry　upon　the　tidings　of　peace；　taking　occasion　（before　I　am　forced　to　it）　to　resign　up　to　his　Royall　Highness　my　place　of　the　Victualling；　and　to　recommend　myself　to　him　by　promise　of　doing　my　utmost　to　improve　this　peace　in　the　best　manner　we　may；　to　save　the　kingdom　from　ruin。
  29th。　　Up；　and　with　Sir　W。　Batten　to　St。　James's；　to　Sir　W。　Coventry's　chamber；　where；　among　other　things；　he　came　to　me　and　told　me　that　he　had　received　my　yesterday's　letters；　and　that　we　concurred　very　well　in　our　notions；　and　that　as　to　my　place　which　I　had　offered　to　resign　of　the　Victualling；　he　had　drawn　up　a　letter　at　the　same　time　for　the　Duke　of　York's　signing　for　the　like　places　in　general　raised　during　this　war；　and　that　he　had　done　me　right　to　the　Duke　of　York；　to　let　him　know　that　I　had　of　my　own　accord　offered　to　resign　mine。　　The　letter　do　bid　us　to　do　all　things；　particularizing　several；　for　the　laying　up　of　the　ships　and　easing　the　King　of　charge；　so　that　the　war　is　now　professedly　over。　　By　and　by　up　to　the　Duke　of　York's　chamber；　and　there　all　the　tal