19th。　　Nothing　but　distraction　and　confusion　in　the　affairs　of　the　Navy；　which　makes　me　wish　with　all　my　heart；　that　I　were　well　and　quietly　settled　with　what　little　I　have　got　at　Brampton；　where　I　might　live　peaceably；　and　study；　and　pray　for　the　good　of　the　King　and　my　country。
  20th。　　Commissioner　Middleton　＇Thomas　Middleton；　made　a　Commissioner　of　the　Navy；　1664。＇　　says；　that　the　fleet　was　in　such　a　condition；　as　to　discipline；　as　if　the　Devil　had　commanded　it；　so　much　wickedness　of　all　sorts。　　Enquiring　how　it　came　to　pass　that　so　many　ships　had　miscarried　this　year；　he　tells　me　that　he　enquired；　and　the　pilots　do　say；　that　they　dare　not　do　nor　go　but　as　the　Captains　will　have　them；　and　if　they　offer　to　do　otherwise；　the　Captains　swear　they　will　run　them　through。　He　says　that　he　heard　Captain　Digby　（my　Lord　of　Bristoll's　son；　a　young　fellow　that　never　was　but　one　year；　if　that；　in　the　fleet；）　say　that　he　did　hope　he　should　not　see　a　tarpawlin　＇Tarpawlin；　a　sailor。＇　　have　the　command　of　a　ship　within　this　twelve　months。　He　observed　while　he　was　on　board　the　Admirall；　when　the　fleet　was　at　Portsmouth；　that　there　was　a　faction　there。　　Holmes　commanded　all　on　the　Prince's　side；　and　Sir　Jeremy　Smith　on　the　Duke's；　and　every　body　that　come　did　apply　themselves　to　one　side　or　other；　and　when　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　was　gone　away　to　come　hither；　then　Sir　Jeremy　Smith　did　hang　his　head；　and　walked　in　the　General's　ship　but　like　a　private　commander。　　He　says　he　was　on　board　the　Prince；　when　the　news　come　of　the　burning　of　London；　and　all　the　Prince　said　was；　that　now　Shipton's　prophecy　was　out；　and　he　heard　a　young　commander　presently　swear；　that　a　citizen's　wife　that　would　not　take　under　half　a　piece　before；　would　be　contented　with　half…a…crowne：　　and　made　mighty　sport　of　it。　　My　Lord　Chancellor　the　other　day　did　ask　Sir　G。　Carteret　how　it　come　to　pass　that　his　friend　Pepys　do　so　much　magnify　the　bad　condition　of　the　fleet。　　Sir　G。　Carteret　tells　me　that　he　answered　him；　that　I　was　but　the　mouth　of　the　rest；　and　spoke　what　they　have　dictated　to　me；　which　did；　as　he　says；　presently　take　off　his　displeasure。　　They　talk　that　the　Queene　hath　a　great　mind　to　alter　her　fashion；　and　to　have　the　feet　seen；　which　she　loves　mightily。
  21st。　　Sir　H。　Cholmly　tells　me　how　Mr。　Williamson　stood　in　a　little　place　to　have　come　into　the　House　of　Commons；　and　they　would　not　choose　him；　they　said；　〃No　courtier。〃　　And　which　is　worse；　Bab　May　went　down　in　great　state　to　Winchelsea　with　the　Duke　of　York's　letters；　not　doubting　to　be　chosen；　and　there　the　people　chose　a　private　gentleman　in　spite　of　him；　and　cried　out　they　would　have　no　Court　pimp　to　be　their　burgesse；　which　are　things　that　bode　very　ill。
  24th。　　Holmes　did　last　Sunday　deliver　in　his　articles　to　the　King　and　Cabinet　against　Smith；　and　Smith　hath　given　in　his　answer；　and　lays　his　not　accompanying　the　fleet　to　his　pilot；　who　would　not　undertake　to　carry　the　ship　further；　which　the　pilot　acknowledges。　　The　thing　is　not　accommodated；　but　only　taken　up；　and　both　sides　commanded　to　be　quiet；　but　no　peace　like　to　be。　The　Duke　of　Albemarle　is　Smith's　friend；　and　hath　publickly　sworn　that　he　would　never　go　to　sea　again；　unless　Holmes's　commission　were　taken　from　him。　　I　find　by　Hayes　＇Prince　Rupert's　secretary。＇　　that　they　did　expect　great　glory　in　coming　home　in　so　good　condition　as　they　did　with　the　fleet；　and　therefore　I　the　less　wonder　that　the　Prince　was　distasted　with　my　discourse　the　other　day　about　the　sad　state　of　the　fleet。　　But　it　pleases　me　to　hear　that　he　did　expect　great　thanks；　and　lays　the　fault　of　the　want；　of　it　upon　the　fire；　which　deadened　every　thing；　and　the　glory　of　his　services。
  25th。　　To　Mrs。　Pierce's；　where　she　was　making　herself　mighty　fine　to　go　to　a　great　ball　to…night　at　Court；　being　the　Queene's　birth…day；　so　the　ladies　for　this　one　day　wear　laces；　but　are　to　put　them　off　again　to…morrow；　To　Mrs。　Williams's；　where　we　met　Knipp。　　I　was　glad　to　see　the　jade。　　Made　her　sing；　and　she　told　us　they　begin　at　both　houses　to　act　on　Monday　next。　　But　I　fear　after　all　this　sorrow；　their　gains　will　be　but　little。　　Mrs。　Williams　says；　the　Duke's　house　will　now　be　much　the　better　of　the　two；　because　of　their　women；　which　I　was　glad　to　hear。
  27th。　　The　two　Houses　begin　to　be　troublesome：　　the　Lords　to　have　quarrels　one　with　another。　　My　Lord　Duke　of　Buckingham　having　said　to　the　Lord　Chancellor　（who　is　against　the　passing　of　the　Bill　for　prohibiting　the　bringing　over　of　Irish　cattle；）　that　whoever　was　against　the　Bill；　was　there　led　to　it　by　an　Irish　interest；　or　an　Irish　understanding；　which　is　as　much　as　to　say　be　is　a　fool；　this　bred　heat　from　my　Lord　Chancellor；　and　something　he　said　did　offend　my　Lord　of　Ossory　（my　Lord　Duke　of　Ormond's　son；）　and　they　two　had　hard　words；　upon　which　the　latter　sends　a　challenge　to　the　former；　of　which　the　former　complains　to　the　House；　and　so　the　business　is　to　be　heard　on　Monday　next。　Then　as　to　the　Commons；　some　ugly　knives；　like　poignards；　to　stab　people　with；　about　two　or　three　hundred　of　them　were　brought　in　yesterday　to　the　House；　found　in　one　of　the　houses　rubbish　that　was　burned；　and　said　to　be　the　house　of　a　Catholique。　　This　and　several　letters　out　of　the　country；　saying　how　high　the　Catholiques　are　every　where　and　bold　in　the　owning　their　religion；　hath　made　the　Commons　mad；　and　they　presently　voted　that　the　King　be　desired　to　put　all　Catholiques　out　of　employment；　and　other　high　things；　while　the　business　of　money　hangs　in　the　hedge。
  28th。　　Captain　Guy　to　dine　with　me；　and　he　and　I　much　talk　together。　　He　cries　out　of　the　discipline　of　the　fleet；　and　confesses　really　that；　the　true　English　valour　we　talk　of；　is　almost　spent　and　worn　out；　few　of　the　commanders　doing　what　they　should　do；　and　he　much　fears　we　shall　therefore　be　beaten　the　next　year。　　He　assures　me　we　were　beaten　home　the　last　June　fight；　and　that　the　whole　fleet　was　ashamed　to　hear　of　our　bonfires。　　He　commends　Smith　and　cries　out　of　Holmes　for　an　idle；　proud；　conceited；　though　stout　fellow。　　He　tells　me　we　are　to　owe　the　loss　of　so　many　ships　on　the　sands；　not　to　any　fault　of　the　pilots；　but　to　the　weather；　but　in　this　I　have　good　authority　to　fear　there　was　something　more。　　He　says　the　Dutch　do　fight　in　very　good　order；　and　we　in　none　at　all。　　He　says　that　in　the　July　fight；　both　the　Prince　and　Holmes　had　their　belly…fulls；　and　were　fain　to　go　aside；　though；　if　the　wind　had　continued；　we　had　utterly　beaten　them。　　He　do　confess　the　whole　to　be　governed　by　a　company　of　fools；　and　fears　our　ruine。　　The　Revenge　having　her　forecastle　blown　up　with　powder　to　the　killing　of　some　men　in　the　River；　and　the　Dyamond's　being　overset　in　the　careening　at　Sheernese；　are　further　marks　of　the　method　all　the　King's　work　is　now　done　in。　　The　Foresight　also　and　another　come　to　disasters　in　the　same　place　this　week　in　the　cleaning；　which　is　strange。
  29th。　　Up；　and　to　the　office　to　do　business；　and　thither　comes　to　me　Sir　Thomas　Teddiman；　and　he　and　I　walked　a　good　while　in　the　garden　together；　discoursing　of　the　disorder　and　discipline　of　the　fleet；　wherein　he　told　me　how　bad　every　thing　is；　but　was　very　wary　in　speaking　any　to　the　dishonour　of　the　Prince　or　Duke　of　Albemarle；　but　do　magnify　my　Lord　Sandwich　much　before　them　both；　from　ability　to　serve　the　King；　and　do　heartily　wish　for　him　here。　　For　he　fears　that　we　shall　be　undone　the　next　year；　but　that　he　will；　however；　see　an　end　of　it。　　To　Westminster；　and　I　find　the　new　Lord　Mayor　Bolton　a…swearing　at　the　Exchequer；　with　some　of　the　Aldermen　and　Livery；　but　Lord！　　to　see　how　meanely　they　now　look；　who　upon　this　day　used　to　be　all　little　lords；　is　a　sad　sight　and　worthy　consideration。　　And　every　body　did　reflect　with　pity　upon　the　poor　City；　to　which　they　are　now　coming　to　choose　and　swear　their　Lord　Mayor；　compared　with　what　it　heretofore　was。　　To　my　goldsmith　to　bid　him　look　out　for　some　gold　for　me；　and　he　tells　me　that　ginnys；　which　I　bought　2000　of　not　long　ago；　and　cost　me　18　1/2d。　change；　will　now　cost　me　22d。；　and　but　very　few　to　be　had　at　any　price。　　However；　some　more　I　will　have；　for　they　are　very　convenient；　and　of　easy　disposal。　To　White　Hall；　and　into　the　new　playhouse　there；　the　first　time　I　ever　was　there；　and　the　first　play　I　have　seen　since　before　the　great　plague。　　By　and　by　Mr。　Pierce　comes；　bringing　my　wife　and　his；　and　Knipp。　　By　and　by　the　King　and　Queen；　Duke　and　Duchesse；　and　all　the　great　ladies　of　the　Court；　which；　indeed；　was　a　fine　sight。　　But　the　play；　being　〃Love　in　a　Tub；〃　＇A　comedy；　by　Sir　George　Etheridge。＇　　a　silly　play；　and　though　done　by　the　Duke's　people；　yet　having　neither　Beterton　nor　his　wife；　＇Vide　Note　to　Feb。　1；　1663…4。＇　　and　the　whole　thing　done　ill；　and　being　ill　also；　I　had　no　manner　of　pleasure　in　the　play。　　Besides；　the　House；　though　very　fine；　yet　bad　for　the　voice；　for　hearing。　　The　sight　of　the　ladies；　indeed；　was　exceeding　noble；　and　above　all；　my　Lady　Castlemaine。　　The　play　done　by　ten　o'clock。
  NOVEMBER　2；　1666。　　On　board　the　Ruby　French　prize；　the　only　ship　of　war　we　have　taken　from　any　of　our　enemies　this　year。　　It　seems　a　very　good　ship；　but　with　galleries　quite　round　the　sterne　to　walk　in　as　a　balcone；　which　will　be　taken　down。
  4th。　　My　taylor's　man　brings　my　v