ps　made　to　lower　abaft　of　the　mainmast；　a　business　I　understand　not；　and　so　can　give　no　good　account；　but　I　do　see　that　by　how　much　greater　the　Council　and　the　number　of　counsellors　is；　the　more　confused　the　issue　is　of　their　councils；　so　that　little　was　said　to　the　purpose　regularly；　and　but　little　use　was　made　of　it；　they　coming　to　a　very　broken　conclusion　upon　it　to　make　trial　in　a　ship　or　two。　　From　this　they　fell　to　other　talk　about　the　fleet's　fighting　this　late　war；　and　how　the　King's　ships　have　been　shattered；　though　the　King　said　that　the　world　would　not　have　it　that　above　ten　or　twenty　ships　in　any　fight　did　do　any　service；　and　that　this　hath　been　told　so　to　him　himself　by　ignorant　people。　　The　Prince；　who　was　there；　was　mightily　surprised　at　it；　and　seemed　troubled；　but　the　King　told　him　that　it　was　only　discourse　of　the　world。　　But　Mr。　Wren　whispered　me　in　the　eare；　and　said　that　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　had　put　it　into　his　Narrative　for　the　House；　that　not　above　twenty…five　ships　fought　in　the　engagement　wherein　he　was；　but　that　he　was　advised　to　leave　it　out；　but　this　he　did　write　from　sea；　I　am　sure；　or　words　to　that　effect：　　and　did　displease　many　commanders；　among　others　Captain　Batts；　who　the　Duke　of　York　said　was　a　very　stout　man；　all　the　world　knew；　and　that　another　was　brought　into　his　ship　that；　had　been　turned　out　of　his　place　when　he　was　a　boatswain；　not　long　before；　for　being　a　drunkard。　　This　the　Prince　＇Rupert。＇　　took　notice　of；　and　would　have　been　angry；　I　think；　but　they　let　their　discourse　fall：　　but　the　Duke　of　York　was　earnest　in　it。　　And　the　Prince　said　to　me；　standing　by　me；　〃If　they　will　turn　out　every　man　that　will　be　drunk；　they　must　turn　out　all　the　commanders　in　the　fleet。　　What　is　the　matter　if　he　be　drunk；　so　when　he　comes　to　fight　he　do　his　work？　　At　least；　let　him　be　punished　for　his　drunkenness；　and　not　put　out　of　his　command　presently。〃　　This　he　spoke　very　much　concerned　for　this　idle　fellow；　one　Greene。　After　this　the　King　began　to　tell　stories　of　the　cowardice　of　the　Spaniards　in　Flanders；　when　he　was　there；　at　the　siege　of　Mardike　and　Dunkirke；　which　was　very　pretty；　though　he　tells　them　but　meanly。　　To　Westminster　Hall；　and　there　staid　a　little：　　and　then　home；　and　by　the　way　did　find　with　difficulty　the　Life　of　Sir　Philip　Sidney。　　And　the　bookseller　told　me　that　he　had　sold　four　within　this　week　or　two；　which　is　more　than　ever　he　sold　in　all　his　life　of　them；　and　he　could　not　imagine　what　should　be　the　reason　of　it：　　but　I　suppose　it　is　from　the　same　reason　of　people's　observing　of　this　part　therein；　touching　his　prophecying　our　present　condition　here　in　England　in　relation　to　the　Dutch；　which　is　very　remarkable。　　It　is　generally　believed　that　France　is　endeavouring　a　firmer　league　with　us　than　the　former；　in　order　to　his　going　on　with　his　business　against　Spain　the　next　year；　which　I　am；　and　so　every　body　else　is；　I　think；　very　glad　of；　for　all　our　fear　is　of　his　invading　us。　　This　day　at　White　Hall　I　overheard　Sir　W。　Coventry　propose　to　the　King　his　ordering　of　some　particular　thing　in　the　Wardrobe；　which　was　of　no　great　value；　but　yet；　as　much　as　it　was；　it　was　of　profit　to　the　King　and　saving　to　his　purse。　　The　King　answered　to　it　with　great　indifferency；　as　a　thing　that　it　was　no　great　matter　whether　it　was　done　or　no。　　Sir　W。　Coventry　answered；　〃I　see　your　Majesty　do　not　remember　the　old　English　proverb；　'He　that　will　not　stoop　for　a　pin；　will　never　be　worth　a　pound。'〃　　And　so　they　parted；　the　King　bidding　him　do　as　he　would；　which；　methought；　was　an　answer　not　like　a　King　that　did　intend　ever　to　do　well。
  4th。　　It　seems　worth　remembering　that　this　day　I　did　hear　my　Lord　Anglesy　at　the　table；　speaking　touching　this　new　Act　for　Accounts；　say　that　the　House　of　Lords　did　pass　it　because　it　was　a　senseless；　impracticable；　ineffectual；　and　foolish　Act；　and　that　my　Lord　Ashly　having　shown　that　it　was　so　to　the　House　of　Lords；　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　did　stand　up　and　told　the　Lords　that　they　were　beholden　to　my　Lord　Ashly；　that　having　first　commended　them　for　a　most　grave　and　honourable　assembly；　he　thought　it　fit　for　the　House　to　pass　this　Act　for　Accounts　because　it　was　a　foolish　and　simple　Act；　and　it　seems　it　was　passed　with　but　a　few　in　the　House；　when　it　was　intended　to　have　met　in　a　grand　Committee　upon　it。　　And　it　seems　that　in　itself　it　is　not　to　be　practised　till　after　this　session　of　Parliament；　by　the　very　words　of　the　Act；　which　nobody　regarded；　and　therefore　cannot　come　in　force　yet；　unless　the　next　meeting　they　do　make　a　new　Act　for　the　bringing　it　into　force　sooner；　which　is　a　strange　omission。　　But　I　perceive　my　Lord　Anglesy　do　make　a　mere　laughing…stock　of　this　act；　as　a　thing　that　can　do　nothing　considerable；　for　all　its　great　noise。
  5th。　　The　business　of　putting　out　of　some　of　the　Privy…council　is　over；　the　King　being　at　last　advised　to　forbear　it；　for　whereas　he　did　design　it　to　make　room　for　some　of　the　House　of　Commons　that　are　against　him；　thereby　to　gratify　them；　it　is　believed　that　it　will　but　so　much　the　more　fret　the　rest　that　are　not　provided　for；　and　raise　a　new　stock　of　enemies　by　them　that　are　displeased；　and　it　goes　for　a　pretty　saying　of　my　Lord　Anglesy's　up　and　down　the　Court；　that　he　should　lately　say　to　one　of　the　great　promoters　of　this　putting　him　and　others　out　of　the　Council；　〃Well；　and　what　are　we　to　look　for　when　we　are　outed？　Will　all　things　be　set　right　in　the　nation？〃　　The　other　said　that　he　did　believe　that　many　things　would　be　mended：　　〃But；〃　says　my　Lord；　〃will　you　and　the　rest　of　you　be　contented　to　be　hanged　if　you　do　not　redeem　all　our　misfortunes　and　set　all　right；　if　the　power　be　put　into　your　hands？〃　　The　other　answered；　No；　he　would　not　undertake　that。　　〃Why　then；〃　says　my　Lord；　〃I　and　the　rest　of　us　that　you　are　labouring　to　put　out　will　be　contented　to　be　hanged　if　we　do　not　recover　all　that　is　past；　if　the　King　will　put　the　power　into　our　hands　and　adhere　wholly　to　our　advice。〃
  7th。　　To　the　Nursery；　but　the　house　did　not　act　to…day；　and　so　I　to　the　other　two　playhouses　into　the　pit　to　gaze　up　and　down；　and　there　did　by　this　means　for　nothing　see　an　act　in　〃The　Schoole　of　Compliments〃　at　the　Duke　of　York's　house；　and　〃Henry　the　Fourth〃　at　the　King's　house；　but　not　liking　either　of　the　plays；　I　took　my　coach　again；　and　home。
  8th。　　To　White　Hall；　and　by　coach　home；　taking　up　Mr。　Prin　at　the　Court　gate　（it　raining）；　and　setting　him　down　at　the　Temple：　　and　by　the　way　did　ask　him　about　the　manner　of　holding　of　Parliaments；　and　whether　the　number　of　Knights　and　Burgesses　were　always　the　same？　　And；　he　says　that　the　latter　were　not；　but　that；　for　aught　he　can　find；　they　were　sent　up　at　the　discretion　at　first　of　the　Sheriffes；　to　whom　the　writs　are　sent　to　send　up　generally　the　Burgesses　and　citizens　of　their　county；　and　he　do　find　that　heretofore　the　Parliament…men　being　paid　by　the　country；　several　burroughs　have　complained　of　the　Sheriffes　putting　them　to　the　charge　of　sending　up　Burgesses；　which　is　a　very　extraordinary　thing　to　me；　that　knew　not　this；　but　thought　that　the　number　had　been　known；　and　always　the　same。
  10th。　　To　White　Hall；　and　there　to　wait　on　the　Duke　of　York　with　the　rest　of　my　brethren；　which　we　did　a　little　in　the　King's　green…room　while　the　King　was　in　Council：　　and　in　this　room　we　found　my　Lord　Bristoll　walking　alone；　which　wondering　at　while　the　Council　was　sitting；　I　was　answered　that　as　being　a　Catholique　he　could　not　be　of　the　Council；　which　I　did　not　consider　before。　　This　day　I　received　a　letter　from　my　father；　and　another　from　my　cosen　Roger　Pepys；　who　have　had　a　view　of　Jackson's　evidences　of　his　estate；　and　do　mightily　like　of　the　man　and　his　condition　and　estate；　and　do　advise　me　to　accept　of　the　match　for　my　sister；　and　to　finish　it　soon　as　I　can；　and　he　do　it　so　as　I　confess　I　am　contented　to　have　it　done；　and　so　give　her　her　portion。
  11th。　　To　the　King's　house；　to　see　〃The　Wildgoose　Chase。〃　＇By　Beaumont　and　Fletcher。＇　　In　this　play　I　met　with　nothing　extraordinary　at　all；　but　very　dull　inventions　and　designs。　Knipp　came　and　sat　by　us；　and　her　talk　pleased　me　a　little；　she　tells　me　how　Miss　Davis　is　for　certain　going　away　from　the　Duke's　house；　the　King　being　in　love　with　her；　and　a　house　is　taken　for　her；　and　furnishing；　and　she　hath　a　ring　given　her　already　worth　600l。：　　that　the　King　did　send　several　times　for　Nelly；　and　she　was　with　him；　and　I　am　sorry　for　it；　and　can　hope　for　no　good　to　the　State　from　having　a　Prince　so　devoted　to　his　pleasure。　　She　told　me　also　of　a　play　shortly　coming　upon　the　stage　of　Sir　Charles　Sedley's；　which；　she　thinks；　will　be　called　〃The　Wandering　Ladys；〃　a　comedy　that　she　thinks　will　be　most　pleasant；　and　also　another　play；　called　〃The　Duke　of　Lorane：〃　besides　〃Catiline；〃　which　she　thinks；　for　want　of　the　clothes　which　the　King　promised　them；　will　not　be　acted　for　a　good　while。
  14th。　　To　my　bookseller；　Martin；　and　there　did　receive　my　book　I　expected　of　China；　a　most　excellent　book　with　rare　cuts；　and　there　fell　into　discourse　with　him　about　the　burning　of　Paul's　when　the　City　was　burned；　his　house　being　in　the　church…yard。　And　he　tells　me　that　it　took　fire　first　upon　the　end　of　a　board　that　among　others　was　laid　upon　the　roof　instead　of　lead；　the　lead　bei