uilding　of　the　public　places；　which　I　am　glad　to　hear；　and　gives　hope　that　in　a　few　years　it　will　be　a　glorious　place。　　But　we　met　with　several　stops　and　troubles　in　the　way　in　the　streets；　so　as　makes　it　bad　to　travel　in　the　dark：　now　through　the　City。　　So　I　to　Mr。　Batelier's　by　appointment；　where　I　find　my　wife　and　Deb。　and　Mercer；　Mrs。　Pierce　and　her　husband；　son；　and　daughter；　and　Knipp　and　Harris；　and　W。　Batelier　and　his　sister　Mary　and　cosen　Gumbleton；　a　good…humoured　fat　young　gentleman；　son　to　the　Jeweller；　that　dances　well。　　And　here　danced　all　night　long；　with　a　noble　supper；　and　about　two　in　the　morning　the　table　spread　again　for　a　noble　breakfast　beyond　all　moderation；　and　then　broke　up。
  27th。　　To　St。　James's；　and　there　with　Mr。　Wren　did　correct　his　copy　of　my　letter；　which　the　Duke　of　York　hath　signed　in　my　very　words；　without　alteration　of　a　syllable。　　And　so；　pleased　therewith；　I　to　my　Lord　Brouncker；　who　I　find　within；　but　hath　business；　and　so　comes　not　to　the　office　to…day。　　And　so　I　by　water　to　the　office；　where　we　sat　all　the　morning：　　and　just　as　the　Board　rises　comes　the　Duke　of　York's　letter；　which　I　knowing；　and　the　Board　not　being　full；　and　desiring　rather　to　have　the　Duke　of　York　deliver　it　himself　to　us；　I　suppressed　it　for　this　day；　my　heart　beginning　to　falsify　in　this　business；　as　being　doubtful　of　the　trouble　it　may　give　me　by　provoking　them；　but；　however；　I　am　resolved　to　go　through　it；　and　it　is　too　late　to　help　it　now。　　At　noon　to　dinner　to　Captain　Cocke's；　where　I　met　with　Mr。　Wren；　my　going　being　to　tell　him　what　I　have　done；　which　he　likes；　and　to　confer　with　Cocke　about　our　office；　who　tells　me　that　he　is　confident　the　design　of　removing　our　officers　do　hold；　but　that　he　is　sure　that　I　am　safe　enough。　　So　away　home；　and　there　met　at　Sir　Richard　Ford's　with　the　Duke　of　York's　Commissioners　about　our　prizes；　with　whom　we　shall　have　some　trouble　before　we　make　an　end　with　them。
  28th。　　To　White　Hall；　where　the　Duke　of　York　did　call　me　aside；　and　told　me　that　he　must　speak　with　me　in　the　afternoon　and　with　Mr。　Wren；　for　that　now　he　hath　got　the　paper　from　my　Lord　Keeper　about　the　exceptions　taken　against　the　management　of　the　Navy；　and　so　we　are　to　debate　upon　answering　them。　　At　noon　I　home　with　Sir　W。　Coventry　to　his　house；　and　there　dined　with　him；　and　talked　freely　with　him；　and　did　acquaint　him　with　what　I　have　done；　which　he　is　well　pleased　with　and　glad　of：　　and　do　tell　me　that　there　are　endeavours　on　foot　to　bring　the　Navy　into　new；　but；　he　fears；　worse　hands。　　The　Duke　of　York　fell　to　work　with　us　（the　Committee　being　gone）　in　the　Council…chamber；　and　there　with　his　own　hand　did　give　us　his　long　letter；　telling　us　that　he　had　received　several　from　us；　and　now　did　give　us　one　from　him；　taking　notice　of　our　several　doubts　and　failures；　and　desired　answer　to　it　as　he　therein　desired：　　this　pleased　me　well。　　And　so　fell　to　other　business；　and　then　parted。　　And　the　Duke　of　York　and　Wren　and　I；　it　being　now　candle…light；　into　the　Duke　of　York's　closet　in　White　Hall；　and　there　read　over　this　paper　of　my　Lord　Keeper's；　wherein　are　laid　down　the　faults　of　the　Navy；　so　silly；　and　the　remedies　so　ridiculous；　or　else　the　same　that　are　now　already　provided；　that　we　thought　it　not　to　need　any　answer；　the　Duke　of　York　being　able　himself　to　do　it：　　that　so　it　makes　us　admire　the　confidence　of　these　men　to　offer　things　so　silly　in　a　business　of　such　moment。　　But　it　is　a　most　perfect　instance　of　the　complexion　of　the　times！　　And　so　the　Duke　of　York　said　himself；　who；　I　perceive；　is　mightily　concerned　in　it；　and　do　again　and　again　recommend　it　to　Mr。　Wren　and　me　together；　to　consider　upon　remedies　fit　to　provide　for　him　to　propound　to　the　King；　before　the　rest　of　the　world；　and　particularly　the　Commissioners　of　Accounts；　who　are　men　of　understanding　and　order；　to　find　our　faults；　and　offer　remedies　of　their　own：　which　I　am　glad　of；　and　will　endeavour　to　do　something　in　it。　　So　parted；　and　with　much　difficulty　by　candle…light　walked　over　the　Matted　Gallery；　as　it　is　now　with　the　mats　and　boards　all　taken　up；　so　that　we　walked　over　the　rafters。　　But　strange　to　see　how　hard　matter　the　plaister　of　Paris　is　that　is　there　taken　up；　as　hard　as　stone！　And　pity　to　see　Holben's　work　in　the　ceiling　blotted　on　and　only　whited　over！　　My　wife　this　day　with　Hales；　to　sit　for　her　hand　to　be　mended　in　her　picture。
  29th。　　Up；　and　all　the　morning　at　the　office；　where　the　Duke　of　York's　long　letter　was　read　to　their　great　trouble；　and　their　suspecting　me　to　have　been　the　writer　of　it。　　And　at　noon　comes　by　appointment　Harris　to　dine　with　me：　　and　after　dinner　he　and　I　to　Chyrurgeons'…hall；　where　they　are　building　it　new；　very　fine；　and　there　to　see　their　theatre；　which　stood　all　the　fire；　and　（which　was　our　business）　their　great　picture　of　Holben's；　thinking　to　have　bought　it　by　the　help　of　Mr。　Pierce　for　a　little　money：　　I　did　think　to　give　200l。　for　it；　it　being　said　to　be　worth　1000l。；　but　it　is　so　spoiled　that　I　have　no　mind　to　it；　and　is　not　a　pleasant　though　a　good　picture。　　Thence　carried　Harris　to　his　playhouse；　where；　though　four　o'clock；　so　few　people　there　are　at　〃The　Impertinents；〃　as　I　went　out；　and　do　believe　they　did　not　act；　though　there　was　my　Lord　Arlington　and　his　company　there。　　　So　I　out；　and　met　my　wife　in　a　coach；　and　stopped　her　going　thither　to　meet　me；　and　took　her　and　Mercer　and　Deb。　to　Bartholomew　fair；　and　there　did　see　a　ridiculous；　obscene　little　stage…play；　called　〃Marry　Audrey；〃　a　foolish　thing；　but　seen　by　every　body：　　and　so　to　Jacob　Hall's　＇Jacob　Hall；　the　famous　rope…　dancer；　was　said　to　have　received　a　salary　from　Lady　Castlemaine；　who　had　become　enamoured　of　him。＇　　dancing　on　the　ropes；　a　thing　worth　seeing；　and　mightily　followed。
  30th。　　Lord's　day。　　Walked　to　St。　James's　and　Pell　Mell；　and；　read　over　with　Sir　W。　Coventry　my　long　letter　to　the　Duke　of　York；　and　which　the　Duke　of　York　hath　from　mine　wrote　to　the　Board；　wherein　he　is　mightily　pleased；　and　I　perceive　do　put　great　value　upon　me；　and　did　talk　very　openly　on　all　matters　of　State；　and　how　some　people　have　got　the　Bill　into　their　mouths　（meaning　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　and　his　party）；　and　would　likely　run　away　with　all。　　But　what　pleased　me　mightily　was　to　hear　the　good　character　he　did　give　of　my　Lord　Falmouth　for　his　generosity；　good…nature；　desire　of　public　good；　and　low　thoughts　of　his　own　wisdom；　his　employing　his　interest　in　the　King　to　do　good　offices　to　all　people；　without　any　other　fault　than　the　freedom　he　do　learn　in　France　of　thinking　himself　obliged　to　serve　his　King　in　his　pleasures；　and　was　Sir　W。　Coventry's　particular　friend；　and　Sir　W。　Coventry　do　tell　me　very　odde　circumstances　about　the　fatality　of　his　death；　which　are　very　strange。　　＇I　have　read　the　particulars　of　this　prediction　in　a　MS。　in　the　Pepysian　Collection；　but　the　reference　to　it　is　unfortunately　mislaid。＇　　Thence　to　White　Hall　to　chapel；　and　heard　the　anthem；　and　did　dine　with　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　in　a　dirty　manner　as　ever。　　All　the　afternoon　I　sauntered　up　and　down　the　house　and　Park。　　And　there　was　a　Committee　for　Tangier　met；　wherein　Lord　Middleton　would；　I　think；　have　found　fault　with　me　for　want　of　coles；　but　I　slighted　it；；　and　he　made　nothing　of　it；　but　was　thought　to　be　drunk；　and　I　see　that　he　hath　a　mind　to　find　fault　with　me　and　Creed；　neither　of　us　having　yet　applied　ourselves　to　him　about　any　thing：　　but　do　talk　of　his　profits　and　perquisites　taken　from　him；　and　garrison　reduced；　and　that　it　must　be　increased；　and　such　things　as　I　fear　he　will　be　just　such　another　as　my　Lord　Tiviott；　and　the　rest　to　ruin　that　place。　　So　I　to　the　Park；　and　there　walk　an　hour　or　two；　and　in　the　King's　garden；　and　saw　the　Queene　and　ladies　walk；　and　I　did　steal　some　apples　off　the　trees；　and　here　did　see　my　Lady　Richmond；　who　is　of　a　noble　person　as　ever　I　did　see；　but　her　face　worse　than　it　was　considerably　by　the　small…pox：　　her　sister　is　also　very　handsome。　　So　to　White　Hall　in　the　evening　to　the　Queene's　side；　and　there　met　the　Duke　of　York；　and　he　did　tell　me　and　Sir　W。　Coventry；　who　was　with　me；　how　the　Lord　Anglesy　did　take　notice　of　our　reading　his　long　and　sharp　letter　to　the　Board；　but　that　it　was　the　better；　at　least　he　said　so。　　The　Duke　of　York；　I　perceive；　is　earliest　in　it；　and　will　have　good　effects　of　it；　telling　Sir　W。　Coventry　that　it　was　a　letter　that　might　have　come　from　the　Commissioners　of　Accounts；　but　it　was　better　it　should　come　first　from　him。　　I　met　Lord　Brouncker；　who；　I　perceive；　and　the　rest；　do　smell　that　it　comes　from　me；　but　dare　not　find　fault　with　me；　and　I　am　glad　of　it；　it　being　my　glory　and　defence　that　I　did　occasion　and　write　it。　　So　by　water　home；　and　did　spend　the　evening　with　W。　Hewer；　telling　him　how　we　are　all　like　to　be　turned　out；　Lord　Brouncker　telling　me　this　evening　that　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　did　within　few　hours　say　that　he　had　enough　to　turn　us　all　out：　　which　I　am　not　sorry　for　at　all；　for　I　know　the　world　will　judge　me　to　go　for　company；　and　my　eyes　are　such　as　I　am　not　able　to　do　the　business　of　my　office　as　I　used；　and　would　desire　to　do　while　I　am　in　it。
  31st。　　To　the　Duke　of　York's　playhouse；　and　saw　〃Hamlet；〃　which　we　have　not　seen　this　year　before；　or　more；　and　mightily　pleased　with　it；　bu