11th。　　Up；　and　with　W。　Hewer　by　water　to　Somerset…house；　and　there　I　to　my　Lord　Brouncker　before　he　went　forth　to　the　Duke　of　York；　and　there　told　him　my　confidence　that　I　should　make　Middleton　appear　a　fool；　and　that　it　was；　I　thought；　best　for　me　to　complain　of　the　wrong　he　hath　done；　but　brought　it　about　that　my　Lord　desired　me　I　would　forbear；　and　promised　that　he　would　prevent　Middleton　till　I　had　given　in　my　answer　to　the　Board；　which　I　desired。　　And　so　away　to　White　Hall；　and　there　did　our　usual　attendance：　　and　no　word　spoke　before　the　Duke　of　York　by　Middleton　at　all；　at　which　I　was　glad　to　my　heart；　because　by　this　means　I　have　time　to　draw　up　my　answer　to　my　mind。　Concluded　upon　giving　50l。　for　a　fine　pair　of　black　horses　we　saw　this　day　se'nnight；　and　so　set　Mr。　Pickering　down　near　his　house　（whom　I　am　much　beholden　to　for　his　care　herein；　and　he　hath　admirable　skill；　I　perceive；　in　this　business）；　and　so　home。
  12th。　　I　hear　this　day　that　there　is　fallen　down　a　new　house　not　quite　finished　in　Lumberd…street；　and　that　there　have　been　several　so；　they　making　use　of　bad　mortar　and　bricks；　but　no　hurt　yet；　as　God　hath　ordered　it。　　This　day　was　brought　home　my　pair　of　black　coach…horses；　the　first　I　ever　was　master　of；　a　fine　pair。
  14th。　　This　day　I　hear；　and　am　glad；　that　the　King　hath　prorogued　the　Parliament　to　October　next；　and；　among　other　reasons；　it　will　give　me　time　to　go　to　France；　I　hope。
  15th。　　Up；　and　to　the　office；　where　sat　all　the　morning；　and　the　new　Treasurers　there；　and；　for　my　life；　I　cannot　keep　Sir　J。　Minnes　and　others　of　the　Board　from　showing　our　weakness；　to　the　dishonour　of　the　Board；　though　I　am　not　concerned；　but　it　do　vex　me　to　the　heart　to　have　it　before　these　people；　that　would　be　glad　to　find　out　all　our　weaknesses。
  18th。　　To　Lord　Brouncker；　and　got　him　to　read　over　my　paper；　who　owns　most　absolute　content　in　it；　and　the　advantages　I　have　in　it；　and　the　folly　of　the　Surveyor。　　At　noon　home　to　dinner；　and　then　to　Brooke…house；　and　there　spoke　with　Colonell　Thomson；　I　by　order　carrying　them　our　Contract…books；　from　the　beginning　to　the　end　of　the　late　war。　　I　found　him　finding　of　errors　in　a　ship's　book；　where　he　showed；　me　many；　which　must　end　in　the　ruin；　I　doubt；　of　the　Controller；　who　found　them　not　out　in　the　pay　of　the　ship；　or　the　whole　office。　　To　the　office；　and　after　some　other　business　done　we　fell　to　mine。　　The　Surveyor　began　to　be　a　little　brisk　at　the　beginning；　but　when　I　came　to　the　point　to　touch　him；　which　I　had　all　the　advantages　in　the　world　to　do；　he　became　as　calm　as　a　lamb；　and　owned；　as　the　whole　Board　did；　their　satisfaction；　and　cried　excuse：　　and　so　all　made　friends；　and　their　acknowledgment　put　into　writing　and　delivered　into　Sir　J。　Minnes's　hand；　to　be　kept　there　for　the　use　of　the　board　or　us；　when　I　shall　call　for　it；　they　desiring　it　might　be　so；　that　I　might　not　make　use　of　it　to　the　prejudice　of　the　Surveyor；　whom　I　had　an　advantage　over　by　his　extraordinary　folly　in　this　matter。　　So　Middleton　desiring　to　be　friends；　I　forgave　him；　and　all　mighty　quiet；　and　fell　to　talk　of　other　stories；　and　there　staid　all　of　us　till　nine　or　ten　at　night　（more　than　ever　we　did　in　our　lives　before　together）。
  19th。　　My　wife　and　I　by　Hackney　to　the　King's　playhouse；　and　there；　the　pit　being　full；　sat　in　the　box　above；　and　saw　〃Catiline's　Conspiracy；〃　yesterday　being　the　first　day：　　a　play　of　much　good　sense　and　words　to　read；　but　that　do　appear　the　worst　upon　the　stage；　I　mean　the　least　diverting；　that　ever　I　saw　any；　though　most　fine　in　clothes；　and　a　fine　scene　of　the　Senate　and　of　a　fight　as　ever　I　saw　in　my　life。　　We　sat　next　to　Betty　Hall；　that　did　belong　to　this　house；　and　was　Sir　Philip　Howard's　mistress；　a　mighty　pretty　wench。
  20th。　　The　Duke　of　York　in　good　humour　did　fall　to　tell　us　many　fine　stories　of　the　wars　in　Flanders；　and　how　the　Spaniards　are　the　best　disciplined　foot　in　the　world；　will　refuse　no　extraordinary　service　if　commanded；　but　scorn　to　be　paid　for　it　as　in　other　countries；　though　at　the　same　time　they　will　beg　in　the　streets：　　not　a　soldier　will　carry　you　a　cloak…bag　for　money　for　the　world；　though　he　will　beg　a　penny　and　will　do　the　thing　if　commanded　by　his　commander。　　That　in　the　citadel　of　Antwerp　a　soldier　hath　not　a　liberty　of　begging　till　he　hath　served　three　years；　They　will　cry　out　against　their　King　and　commanders　and　generals；　none　like　them　in　the　world；　and　yet　will　not　hear　a　stranger　say　a　word　of　them　but　they　will　cut　his　throat。　　That　upon　a　time　some　of　the　commanders　of　their　army　exclaiming　against　their　generals；　and　particularly　the　Marquis　of　Caranen；　the　Confessor　of　the　Marquis　coming　by　and　hearing　them；　he　stops　and　gravely　tells　them　that　the　three　great　trades　of　the　world　are；　the　lawyers；　who　govern　the　world；　the　churchmen；　who　enjoy　the　world；　and　a　sort　of　fellows　whom　they　call　soldiers；　who　make　it　their　work　to　defend　the　world。　　He　told　us　too；　that　Turenne　being　now　become　a　Catholique；　he　is　likely　to　get　over　the　head　of　Colbert；　their　interests　being　contrary；　the　latter　to　promote　trade　and　the　sea　（which；　says　the　Duke　of　York；　is　that　we　have　most　cause　to　fear）；　and　Turenne　to　employ　the　King　and　his　forces　by　land　to　encrease　his　conquests。　　W。　Hewer　tells　me　to…day　that　he　hears　that　the　King　of　France　hath　declared　in　print；　that　he　do　intend　this　next　summer　to　forbid　his　commanders　to　strike　to　us；　but　that　both　we　and　the　Dutch　shall　strike　to　him；　and　that　he　hath　made　his　captains　swear　it　already　that；　they　will　observe　it：　　which　is　a　great　thing　if　he　do　it；　as　I　know　nothing　to　hinder　him。
  21st。　　Went　into　Holborne；　and　there　saw　the　woman　that　is　to　be　seen　with　a　beard。　　She　is　a　little　plain　woman；　a　Dane；　her　name；　Ursula　Dyan；　about　forty　years　old；　her　voice　like　a　little　girl's；　with　a　beard　as　much　as　any　man　I　ever　saw；　black　almost　and　grizly：　　it　began　to　grow　at　about　seven　years　old；　and　was　shaved　not　above　seven　months　ago；　and　is　now　so　big　as　any　man's　almost　that　ever　I　saw；　I　say；　bushy　and　thick。　　It　was　a　strange　sight　to　me；　I　confess；　and　what　pleased　me　mightily。　　Thence　to　the　Duke's　playhouse；　and　saw　〃Macbeth。〃　The　King　and　Court　there；　and　we　sat　just　under　them　and　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　and　close　to　a　woman　that　comes　into　the　pit；　a　kind　of　a　loose　gossip；　that　pretends　to　be　like　her；　and　is　so　something。　　And　my　wife；　by　my　troth；　appeared；　I　think；　as　pretty　as　any　of　them；　I　never　thought　so　much　before；　and　so　did　Talbot　and　W；　Hewer；　as　they　said；　I　heard；　to　one　another。　　The　King　and　Duke　of　York　minded　me；　and　smiled　upon　me；　at　the　handsome　woman　near　me：　　but　it　vexed　me　to　see　Moll　Davis；　in　the　box　over　the　King's　and　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　look　down　upon　the　King；　and　he　up　to　her；　and　so　did　my　Lady　Castlemaine　once；　to　see　who　it　was；　but　when　she　saw　Moll　Davis；　she　looked　like　fire；　which　troubled　me。
  23rd。　　Discoursed　with　Sir　John　Bankes；　who　thinks　this　prorogation　will　please　all　but　the　Parliament　itself；　which　will；　if　ever　they　meet；　be　vexed　at　Buckingham；　who　yet　governs　all。　　He　says　the　Nonconformists　are　glad　of　it；　and；　he　believes；　will　get　the　upper　hand　in　a　little　time；　for　the　King　must　trust　to　them　or　nobody；　and　he　thinks　the　King　will　be　forced　to　it。　　He　says　that　Sir　D。　Gauden　is　mightily　troubled　at　Pen's　being　put　upon　him　by　the　Duke　of　York；　and　that　he　believes　he　will　get　clear　of　it；　which；　though　it　will　trouble　me　to　have　Pen　still　at　the　office；　yet　I　shall　think　D。　Gauden　do　well　in　it；　and　what　I　would　advise　him　to；　because　I　love　him。　　I　up　to　my　Lord　Brouncker　at　his　lodgings；　and　sat　with　him　an　hour　on　purpose　to　talk　over　the　wretched　state　of　this　office　at　present；　according　to　the　present　hands　it　is　made　up　of；　wherein　he　do　fully　concur　with　me；　and　that　it　is　our　part　not　only　to　prepare　for　defending　it　and　ourselves　against　the　consequences　of　it；　but　to　take　the　best　ways　we　can　to　make　it　known　to　the　Duke　of　York；　for；　till　Sir　J。　Minnes　be　removed；　and　a　sufficient　man　brought　into　W。　Pen's　place　when　he　is　gone；　it　is　impossible　for　this　office　to　support　itself。
  25th。　　Christmas　day。　　To　dinner　alone　with　my　wife；　who；　poor　wretch！　　sat　undressed　all　day　till　ten　at　night；　altering　and　lacing　of　a　noble　petticoat；　while　I　by　her　making　the　boy　read　to　me　the　Life　of　Julius　Caesar；　and　Des　Cartes'　book　of　Musick。
  27th。　　Lord's　day。　　Saw　the　King　at　chapel；　but　staid　not　to　hear　any　thing；　but　went　to　walk　in　the　Park　with　W。　Hewer；　and　there；　among　others；　met　with　Sir　G。　Downing；　and　walked　with　him　an　hour　talking　of　business；　and　how　the　late　war　was　managed；　there　being　nobody　to　take　care　of　it：　　and　he　telling；　when　he　was　in　Holland；　what　he　offered　the　King　to　do　if　he　might　have　power；　and　then　upon　the　least　word；　perhaps　of　a　woman；　to　the　King；　he　was　contradicted　again；　and　particularly　to　the　loss　of　all　that　we　lost　in　Guinny。　　He　told　me　that　he　had　so　good　spies；　that　he　hath　had　the　keys　taken　out　of　De　Witt's　pocket　when　he　was　a…　bed；　and　his　closet　opened　and　papers　brought　to　him　and　left　in　his　hands　for　an　hour；　and　carried　back　and　laid　in　the　place　again；　and　keys　put　into　his　pocket　again。　　He　says　he　hath　always　had　their　most　private　debates；　tha