em　and　set　upon　it；　as　I　hear。
  17th。　　Great　high　words　in　the　House　on　Saturday　last　upon　the　first　part　of　the　Committee's　Report　about　the　dividing　of　the　fleet；　wherein　some　would　have　the　counsels　of　the　King　to　be　declared；　and　the　reasons　of　them；　and　who　did　give　them；　where　Sir　W。　Coventry　laid　open　to　them　the　consequences　of　doing　that；　that　the　King　would　never　have　any　honest　and　wise　men　ever　to　be　of　his　Council。　　They　did　here　in　the　House　talk　boldly　of　the　King's　bad　Counsellors；　and　how　they　must　all　be　turned　out；　and　many　others；　and　better　brought　in：　　and　the　proceedings　of　the　Long…Parliament　in　the　beginning　of　the　war　were　called　to　memory；　and　the　King's　bad　intelligence　was　mentioned；　wherein　they　were　bitter　against　my　Lord　Arlington；　saying；　among　other　things；　that　whatever　Morrice's　was；　who　declared　he　had　but　750l。　a…year　allowed　him　for　intelligence；　the　King　paid　too　dear　for　my　Lord　Arlington's　in　giving　him　10；000l。　and　a　Barony　for　it。　　Sir　W。　Coventry　did　here　come　to　his　defence　in　the　business　of　the　letter　that　was　sent　to　call　back　Prince　Rupert　after　he　was　divided　from　the　fleet；　wherein　great　delay　was　objected；　but　he　did　show　that　he　sent　it　at　one　in　the　morning；　when　the　Duke　of　York　did　give　him　the　instructions　after　supper　that　night；　and　did　clear　himself　well　of　it；　only　it　was　laid　as　a　fault；　which　I　know　not　how　he　removes；　of　not　sending　it　by　an　express；　but　by　the　ordinary　post；　it　coming　not　to　Sir　Philip　Honiwood's　hand　at　Portsmouth　till　four　in　the　afternoon　that　day；　being　about　fifteen　or　sixteen　hours　in　going。　　The　dividing　of　the　fleet　however　is；　I　hear；　voted　a　miscarriage；　and　the　not　building　a　fortification　at　Sheernesse：　　and　I　have　reason　every　hour　to　expect　that　they　will　vote　the　like　of　our　paying　men　off　by　ticket；　and　what　the　consequence　of　that　will　be；　I　know　not。
  18th。　　Sir　W。　Coventry　and　I　did　look　over　the　list　of　commanders；　and　found　that　we　could　presently　recollect　thirty…　seven　commanders　that　have　been　killed　in　actuall　service　this　war。　　He　tells　me　that　Sir　Fr。　Hollis　is　the　main　man　that　hath　prosecuted　him　hitherto　in　the　business　of　dividing　the　fleet；　saying　vainly　that　the　want　of　that　letter　to　the　Prince　hath　given　him　that　that　he　shall　remember　it　by　to　his　grave；　meaning　the　loss　of　his　arme　＇Vide　Note　June　10；　1667。＇　　when；　God　knows；　he　is　as　idle　and　insignificant　a　fellow　as　ever　came　into　the　fleet。　　I　well　remember　what　in　mirth　he　said　to　me　this　morning；　when　upon　this　discourse　he　said　if　ever　there　was　another　Dutch　war　they　should　not　find　a　Secretary；　〃Nor；〃　said　I；　〃a　Clerk　of　the　Acts；　for　I　see　the　reward　of　it；　and；　thank　God；　I　have　enough　of　my　own　to　buy　me　a　book　and　a　good　fiddle；　and　I　have　a　good　wife；〃〃Why；〃　says　he；　〃I　have　enough　to　buy　me　a　good　book；　and　shall　not　need　a　fiddle　because　I　have　never　a　one　of　your　good　wives。〃　　This　morning　the　House　is　upon　a　Bill；　brought　in　to…day　by　Sir　Richard　Temple；　for　obliging　the　King　to　call　Parliaments　every　three　years；　or　if　he　fail；　for　others　to　be　obliged　to　do　it；　and　to　keep　him　from　a　power　of　dissolving　any　Parliament　in　less　than　forty　days　after　their　first　day　of　sitting：　　which　is　such　a　Bill　as　do　speak　very　high　proceedings　to　the　lessening　of　the　King；　and　this　they　will　carry；　and　whatever　else　they　desire；　before　they　will　give　any　money；　and　the　King　must　have　money；　whatever　it　cost　him。　　I　to　see　Kate　Joyce；　where　I　find　her　and　her　friends　in　great　ease　of　mind；　the　Jury　having　this　day　given　in　their　verdict　that　her　husband　died　of　a　fever。　　Some　opposition　there　was；　the　foreman　pressing　them　to　declare　the　cause　of　the　fever；　thinking　thereby　to　obstruct　it；　but　they　did　adhere　to　their　verdict；　and　would　give　no　reason：　　so　all　trouble　is　now　over；　and　she　safe　in　her　estate。
  19th。　　In　the　evening　to　White　Hall；　where　I　find　Sir　W。　Coventry　a　great　while　with　the　Duke　of　York　in　the　King's　drawing…room；　they　two　talking　together　all　alone；　which　did　mightily　please　me。　　I　do　hear　how　La　Roche；　a　French　captain；　who　was　once　prisoner　here；　being　with　his　ship　at　Plymouth；　hath　played　some　freakes　there；　for　which　his　men　being　beat　out　of　the　town；　he　hath　put　up　a　flag　of　defiance；　and　also　somewhere　there　about　did　land　with　his　men　and　go　a　mile　into　the　country；　and　did　some　prank；　which　sounds　pretty　odd　to　our　disgrace；　but　we　are　in　condition　now　to　bear　any　thing。　　But；　blessed　be　God！　　all　the　Court　is　full　of　good　news　of　my　Lord　Sandwich　having　made　a　peace　between　Spain　and　Portugall；　which　is　mighty　great　news；　and　above　all　to　my　Lord's　honour　more　than　any　thing　he　ever　did；　and　yet　I　do　fear　it　will　not　prevail　to　secure　him　in　Parliament　against　incivilities　there。
  20th。　　The　House　most　of　the　morning　upon　the　business　of　not　prosecuting　the　first　victory：　　which　they　have　voted　one　of　the　greatest　miscarriages　of　the　whole　war；　though　they　cannot　lay　the　fault　any　where　yet；　because　Harman　is　not　come　home。　　Dined；　and　by　one　o'clock　to　the　King's　house：　　a　new　play；　〃The　Duke　of　Lerma；〃　of　Sir　Robert　Howard's：　　where　the　King　and　Court　was；　and　Knipp　and　Nell　spoke　the　prologue　most　excellently；　especially　Knipp；　who　spoke　beyond　any　creature　I　ever　heard。　The　play　designed　to　reproach　our　King　with　his　mistresses；　that　I　was　troubled　for　it；　and　expected　it　should　be　interrupted；　but　it　ended　all　well；　which　salved　all。
  21st。　　The　House　this　day　is　still　as　backward　for　giving　any　money　as　ever；　and　do　declare　they　will　first　have　an　account　of　the　disposals　of　the　last　Poll…bill；　and　eleven　months'　tax。　　And　it　is　pretty　odde　that　the　very　first　sum　mentioned　in　the　account　brought　in　by　Sir　Robert　Long　of　the　disposal　of　the　Poll…bill　money　is　5000l。　to　my　Lord　Arlington　for　intelligence；　which　was　mighty　unseasonable；　so　soon　after　they　had　so　much　cried　out　against　his　want　of　intelligence。　　The　King　do　also　own　but　250；000l。　or　thereabouts　yet　paid　on　the　Poll…bill；　and　that　he　hath　charged　350；000l。　upon　it。　　This　makes　them　mad；　for　that　the　former　Poll…bill；　that　was　so　much　less　in　its　extent　than　the　last；　which　took　in　all　sexes　and　qualities；　did　come　to　350；000l。　　Upon　the　whole；　I　perceive　they　are　like　to　do　nothing　in　this　matter　to　please　the　King；　or　relieve　the　State；　be　the　case　never　so　pressing；　and　therefore　it　is　thought　by　a　great　many　that　the　King　cannot　be　worse　if　he　should　dissolve　them；　but　there　is　nobody　dares　advise　it；　nor　do　he　consider　any　thing　himself。　　My　cosen　Roger　Pepys　showed　me　Granger's　written　confession；　of　his　being　forced　by　imprisonment；　&c。　by　my　Lord　Gerard；　most　barbarously　to　confess　his　forging　of　a　deed　in　behalf　of　Fitton；　in　the　great　case　between　him　and　my　Lord　Gerard；　which　business　is　under　examination；　and　is　the　foulest　against　my　Lord　Gerard　that　ever　any　thing　in　the　world　was；　and　will；　all　do　believe；　ruine　him；　and　I　shall　be　glad　of　it。
  22nd。　　To　the　Duke's　playhouse；　and　there　saw　〃Alblemanazar；〃　＇Albumazar；　a　comedy；　by　Tomkins　of　Trin。　Coll。　Cambridge。＇　　an　old　play；　this　the　second　time　of　acting。　　It　is　said　to　have　been　the　ground　of　B。　Jonson's　〃Alchymist；〃　but；　saving　the　ridiculousnesse　of　Angell's　part；　which　is　called　Trinkilo；　I　do　not　see　any　thing　extraordinary　in　it；　but　was　indeed　wary　of　it　before　it　was　done。　　The　King　here；　and　indeed　all　of　us　pretty　merry　at　the　mimique　tricks　of　Trinkilo。
  23rd。　　I　met　with　Sir　W。　Coventry；　and　he　and　I　walked　awhile　together　in　the　Matted　Gallery；　and　there　he　told　me　all　the　proceedings　yesterday：　　that　the　matter　is　found　in　general　a　miscarriage；　but　no　persons　named；　and　so　there　is　no　great　matter　to　our　prejudice　yet；　till；　if　ever；　they　come　to　particular　persons。　　He　told　me　Birch　was　very　industrious　to　do　what　he　could；　and　did　like　a　friend；　but　they　were　resolved　to　find　the　thing　in　general　a　miscarriage：　　and　says；　that　when　we　shall　think　fit　to　desire　its　being　heard；　as　to　our　own　defence；　it　will　be　granted。　　He　tells　me　how　he　hath　with　advantage　cleared　himself　in　what　concerns　himself　therein；　by　his　servant　Robson；　which　I　am　glad　of。　　He　tells　me　that　there　is　a　letter　sent　by　conspiracy　to　some　of　the　House；　which　he　hath　seen；　about　the　manner　of　selling　of　places；　which　he　do　believe　he　shall　be　called　upon　to…morrow　for：　　and　thinks　himself　well　prepared　to　defend　himself　in　it；　and　then　neither　he　nor　his　friends　for　him　are　afraid　of　any　thing　to　his　prejudice。　　Thence　by　coach　with　Brisband　to　Sir　G。　Carteret's；　in　Lincoln's　Inn…　fields；　and　there　dined：　　a　good　dinner　and　good　company。　　And　after　dinner　he　and　I　alone；　discoursing　of　my　Lord　Sandwich's　matters；　who　hath；　in　the　first　business　before　the　House；　been　very　kindly　used　beyond　expectation；　the　matter　being　laid　by　till　his　coming　home：　　and　old　Mr。　Vaughan　did　speak　for　my　Lord；　which　I　am　mighty　glad　of。　　The　business　of　the　prizes　is　the　worst　that　can　be　said；　and　therein　I　do　fear　something　may　lie　hard　upon　him；　but　against　this　we　must　prepare　the　best　we　can　for　his　defence。　　Thence　with　Sir　G。　Carteret　to　White　Hall；　where　finding　a　meeting　of　the　Committee　of　the　Council　for　the　Navy；　his　Royal　Highness　there；　and　Sir　W。　Pen；　and　some　of　the　Brethren　of　the　Trinity　House