s　Cotton；　the　other　（which　was　performed　at　Court；）　by　Catherine　Phillips；　the　fifth　act　being　added　by　Sir　John　Denham。＇　　this　the　third　day　of　its　acting：　　a　silly　tragedy；　but　Lacy　hath　made　a　farce　of　several　dancesbetween　each　act　one：　but　his　words　are　but　silly　and　invention　not　extraordinary　as　to　the　dances；　only　some　Dutchmen　come　out　of　the　mouth　and　tail　of　a　Hamburgh　sow。
  20th。　　Heard　at　the　Council…board　the　City；　by　their　single　Counsel　Symson；　and　the　Company　of　Strangers　Merchants；　debate　the　business　of　water…baylage；　a　tax　demanded　upon　all　goods；　by　the　City；　imported　and　exported：　　which　these　merchants　oppose；　and　demanding　leave　to　try　the　justice　of　the　City's　demand　by　a　Quo　Warranto；　which　the　City　opposed；　the　Merchants　did　quite　lay　the　City　on　their　backs　with　great　triumph；　the　City's　cause　being　apparently　too　weak：　　but　here　I　observed　Mr。　Gold；　the　merchant；　to　speak　very　well　and　very　sharply　against　the　City。　This　afternoon　before　the　play　I　called　with　my　wife　at　Dancre's；　＇Henry　Dankers；　born　at　the　Hague；　employed　by　Charles　II。　to　paint　views　of　his　sea…ports　and　palaces。　　He　followed　his　profession　for　some　years　in　London。＇　　the　great　landscape…　painter；　by　Mr。　Povy's　advice；　and　have　bespoke　him　to　come　to　take　measure　of　my　dining…room　panels。
  22nd。　　At　the　'Change　I　met　with　Mr。　Dancre；　with　whom　I　was　on　Wednesday；　and　he　took　measure　of　my　panels　in　my　dining…room；　where；　in　the　four；　I　intend　to　have　the　four　houses　of　the　King；　White　Hall；　Hampton　Court；　Greenwich；　and　Windsor；　Mightily　pleased　with　the　fellow　that　came　to　lay　the　cloth　and　fold　the　napkins；　which　I　like　so　well　as　that　I　am　resolved　to　give　him　40s。　to　teach　my　wife　to　do　it。
  23rd。　　To　the　office　till　noon；　when　word　brought　me　that　my　Lord　Sandwich　was　come；　so　I　presently　rose；　and　there　I　found　my　Lords　Sandwich；　Peterborough；　and　Sir　Charles　Harbord；　and　presently　after　them　comes　my　Lord　Hichingbroke；　Mr。　Sidney；　and　Sir　William　Godolphin。　　And　after　greeting　them　and　some　time　spent　in　talk；　dinner　was　brought　up；　one　dish　after　another；　but　a　dish　at　a　time；　but　all　so　good：　　but；　above　all　things；　the　variety　of　wines　and　excellent　of　their　kind　I　had　for　them；　and　all　in　so　good　order；　that　they　were　mightily　pleased；　and　myself　full　of　content　at　it：　　and　indeed　it　was；　of　a　dinner　of　about　six　or　eight　dishes；　as　noble　as　any　man　need　to　have；　I　think；　at　least；　all　was　done　in　the　noblest　manner　that　ever　I　had　any；　and　I　have　rarely　seen　in　my　life　better　any　where　else；　even　at　the　Court。　　After　dinner　my　Lords　to　cards；　and　the　rest　of　us　sitting　about　them　and　talking；　and　looking　on　my　books　and　pictures；　and　my　wife's　drawings；　which　they　commended　mightily：　and　mighty　merry　all　day　long　With　exceeding　great　content；　and　so　till　seven　at　night；　and　so　took　their　leaves；　it　being　dark　and　foul　weather。　　Thus　was　this　entertainment　over；　the　best　of　its　kind　and　the　fullest　of　honour　and　content　to　me　that　ever　I　had　in　my　life；　and　I　shall　not　easily　have　so　good　again。
  24th　（Lord's　day）。　　An　order　brought　me　in　bed；　for　the　principal　officers　to　attend　the　King　at　my　Lord　Keeper's　this　afternoon；　it　being　resolved　late　the　last　night；　and　by　the　warrant　I　find　my　Lord　Keeper　did　not　then　know　the　cause　of　it；　the　messenger　being　ordered；　to　call　upon　him　to　tell　it　him　by　the　way；　as　he　came　to　us。　　I　to　White　Hall；　and　here　I　met　Will。　Batelier；　newly　come　post　from　France；　his　boots　all　dirty。　　He　brought　letters　to　the　King；　and　I　glad　to　see　him；　it　having　been　reported　that　he　was　drowned　for　some　days　past。　　By　and　by　the　King　comes　out；　and　so　I　took　coach　and　followed　his　coaches　to　my　Lord　Keeper's　at　Essex…house；　where　I　never　was　before；　since　I　saw　my　old　Lord　Essex　lie　in　state　when　he　was　dead。　　A　large；　but　ugly　house。　　Here　all　the　officers　of　the　Navy　attended；　and　by　and　by　were　called　in　to　the　King　and　Cabinet；　where　my　Lord；　who　was　ill；　did　lie　upon　the　bed；　as　my　old　Lord　Treasurer　or　Chancellor　heretofore　used　to　do。　　And　the　business　was　to　know　in　what　time　all　the　King's　ships　might　be　repaired　fit　for　service。　　The　Surveyor　answered；　in　two　years；　and　not　sooner。　　I　did　give　them　hopes　that；　with　supplies　of　money　suitable；　we　might　have　them　all　fit　for　sea　some　part　of　the　summer　after　this。　　Then　they　demanded　in　what　time　we　could　set　out　forty　ships。　　It　was　answered；　as　they　might　be　chosen　of　the　newest　and　most　ready；　we　could　with　money　get　forty　ready　against　May。　The　King　seemed　mighty　full　that　we　should　have　money　to　do　all　that　we　desired；　and　satisfied　that　without　it　nothing　could　be　done：　　and　so　without　determining　any　thing　we　were　dismissed；　and　I　doubt　all　will　end　in　some　little　fleet　this　year；　and　that　of　hired　merchantmen；　which　would　indeed　be　cheaper　to　the　King　and　have　many　conveniences　attending　it；　more　than　to　fit　out　the　King's　own。　　And　this；　I　perceive；　is　designed；　springing　from　Sir　W。　Coventry's　counsel；　and　the　King　and　most　of　the　Lords；　I　perceive；　full　of　it；　to　get　the　King's　fleet　all　at　once　in　condition　for　service。　　Thence　with　Mr。　Wren　in　his　coach；　for　discourse'　sake：　　and　he　told　me　how　the　business　of　the　Parliament　is　wholly　laid　aside；　it　being　over…ruled　now　that　they　shall　not　meet；　but　must　be　prorogued；　upon　this　argument　chiefly：　　that　all　the　differences　between　the　two　Houses；　and　things　on　foot　that　were　matters　of　difference　and　discontent；　may　be　laid　aside；　and　must　begin　again　if　ever　the　House　shall　have　a　mind　to　pursue　them。
  25th。　　My　wife　showed　me　many　excellent　prints　of　Nantueil's　and　others；　which　W。　Batelier　hath　at　my　desire　brought　me　out　of　France；　of　the　King's　and　Colbert's　and　others；　most　excellent；　to　my　great　content。
  26th。　　To　the　office；　and　then　to　White　Hall；　leaving　my　wife　at　Unthanke's；　and　I　to　the　Secretary's　chamber；　where　I　was　by　particular　order　this　day　summonsed　to　attend；　as　I　find　Sir　D。　Gauden　also　was。　　And　here　was　the　King　and　the　Cabinet　met；　and　being　called　in；　among　the　rest　I　find　my　Lord　Privy　Seale；　whom　I　never　before　knew　to　be　in　so　much　play　as　to　be　of　the　Cabinet。　　The　business　is　that　the　Algerines　have　broke　the　peace　with　us　by　taking　out　some　Spaniards　and　goods　out　of　an　English　ship　which　had　the　Duke　of　York's　pass；　of　which　advice　came　this　day；　and　the　King　is　resolved　to　stop　Sir　Thomas　Allen's　fleet　from　coming　home　till　he　hath　amends　made　him　for　this　affront；　and　therefore　sent　for　us　to　advise　about　victuals　to　be　sent　to　that　fleet；　and　some　more　ships：　　wherein　I　answered　them　to　what　they　demanded　of　me：　　which　was　but　some　few　mean　things；　but　I　see　that　on　all　these　occasions　they　seem　to　rely　most　upon　me。
  27th。　　To　the　Duke　of　York's　playhouse；　and　there　saw　〃The　Five　Hours'　Adventure；〃　which　hath　not　been　acted　a　good　while　before；　but　once；　and　is　a　most　excellent　play　I　must　confess。
  28th。　　Going　home　to　supper　with　my　wife；　and　to　get　her　to　read　to　me；　I　did　find　that　Mr。　Sheres　hath　beyond　his　promise　not　only　got　me　a　candlestick　made　me；　after　a　form　he　remembers　to　have　seen　in　Spain；　for　keeping　the　light　from　one's　eyes；　but　hath　got　it　done　in　silver　very　neat；　and　designs　to　give　it　me　in　thanks　for　my　paying　him　his　100l。　in　money　for　his　service　at　Tangier；　which　was　ordered　him；　but　I　do　intend　to　force　him　to　make　me　pay　for　it。　　But　I　yet；　without　his　direction；　cannot　tell　how　it　is　to　be　made　use　of。
  29th。　　To　the　Duke　of　York；　where　I　did　give　a　severe　account　of　our　proceedings；　and　what　we　found　in　the　business　of　Sir　W。　Jenings's　demand　of　supernumeraries。　　I　thought　it　a　good　occasion　to　make　an　example　of　him；　for　he　is　a　proud　idle　fellow；　and　it　did　meet　with　the　Duke　of　York's　acceptance　and　well…liking；　and　he　did　call　him　in　after　I　had　done；　and　did　not　only　give　him　a　soft　rebuke；　but　condemns　him　to　pay　both　their　victuals　and　wages；　or　right　himself　of　the　purser。　　This　I　was　glad　of；　and　so　were　all　the　rest　of　us；　though　I　know　I　have　made　myself　an　immortal　enemy　by　it。
  31st　（Lord's　day）。　　To　church　and　there　did　hear　the　Doctor　that　is　lately　turned　Divine；　Dr。　Waterhouse。　　He　preaches　in　a　devout　manner；　not　elegant　nor　very　persuasive；　but　seems　to　mean　well；　and　that　he　would　preach　holily；　and　was　mighty　passionate　against　people　that　make　a　scoff　of　religion。
  1668…69。　　FEBRUARY　1。　　Meeting　Mr。　Povy；　he　and　I　away　to　Dancre's　to　speak　something　touching　the　pictures　I　am　getting　him　to　make　for　me；　And　thence　he　carried　me　to　Mr。　Streeter's　＇Robert　Streater　appointed　Serjeant　Painter　at　the　Restoration。　Ob。　1680。＇　　the　famous　history…painter　over　the　way；　whom　I　have　often　heard　of；　but　did　never　see　him　before；　and　there　I　found　him　and　Dr。　Wren　and　several　virtuosos　looking　upon　the　paintings　which　he　is　making　for　the　new　Theatre　at　Oxford：　and　indeed　they　look　as　if　they　would　be　very　fine；　and　the　rest　think　better　than　those　of　Rubens　in　the　Banqueting　house：　at　White　Hall；　but　I　do　not　so　fully　think　so。　　But　they　will　certainly　be　very　noble；　and　I　am　mightily　pleased　to　have　the　fortune　to　see　this　man　and　his　work；　which　is　very　famous。　　And　he　a　very　civil　little　man；　and　lame；　but　lives　very　handsomely。　　So　thence　to　my　Lord　Bellasses；　and　met　him　within：