ng　hath　made；　and　the　hopes　I　have　that　it　will　save　the　kingdom　from　perishing：　　and　how　it　do　encourage　me　to　take　pains　again；　after　my　having　through　despair　neglected　it！　　which　he　told　me　of　himself　that　it　was　so　with　him；　that　he　had　given　himself　up　to　more　ease　than　ever　he　expected；　and　that　his　opinion　of　matters　was　so　bad　that　there　was　no　public　employment　in　the　kingdom　should　have　been　accepted　by　him　but　this　which　the　King　hath　now　given　him；　and　therein　he　is　glad；　in　hopes　of　the　service　he　may　do　therein；　and　in　my　conscience　he　will。　　So　into　the　Duke　of　York's　closet；　and　there；　among　other　things；　Sir　W。　Coventry　did　take　notice　of　what　he　told　me　the　other　day；　about　a　report　of　Commissioner　Pett's　dealing　for　timber　in　the　Navy　and　selling　it　to　us　in　other　names；　and　besides　his　own　proof；　did　produce　a　paper　I　had　given　him　this　morning　about　it；　in　the　case　of　Widow　Murford　and　Morecocke；　which　was　so　handled；　that　the　Duke　of　York　grew　very　angry；　and　commanded　us　presently　to　fall　into　the　examination　of　it；　saying　that　he　would　not　trust　a　man　for　his　sake　that　lifts　up　the　whites　of　his　eyes。　　And　it　was　declared　that　if　he　be　found　to　have　done　so；　he　should　be　reckoned　unfit　to　serve　the　Navy；　and　I　do　believe　he　will　be　turned　out：　　and　it　was；　methought；　a　worthy　saying　of　Sir　W。　Coventry　to　the　Duke　of　York；　〃Sir；〃　says　he；　〃I　do　not　make　this　complaint　out　of　any　disrespect　to　Commissioner　Pett；　but　because　I　do　love　to　do　these　things　fairly　and　openly。〃　　This　day　coming　from　Westminster　with　W。　Batten；　we　saw　at　White　Hall　stairs　a　fisher…boat　with　a　sturgeon　that　he　had　newly　catched　in　the　River；　which　I　saw；　but　it　was　but　a　little　one；　but　big　enough　to　prevent　my　mistake　of　that　for　a　colt；　if　ever　I　become　Mayor　of　Huntingdon。
  23rd。　　Sir　John　Duncomb　is　sworn　yesterday　a　Privy…councillor。　This　day　I　hear　also　that　last　night　the　Duke　of　Kendall；　＇Henry　Stuart。　　Created　Duke　of　Kendall；　1664。＇　　second　son　of　the　Duke　of　York；　did　die；　and　that　the　other；　Duke　of　Cambridge；　continues　very　ill　still。
  26th。　　All　our　discourse　about　Brampton；　and　my　intentions　to　build　there　if　I　could　be　free　of　my　engagement　to　my　uncle　Thomas　and　his　son；　that　they　may　not　have　what　I　have　built　against　my　will　in　case　of　me　and　my　brother's　being　without　heirs　male；　which　is　the　true　reason　why　I　am　against　laying　out　money　upon　that　place；　together　with　my　fear　of　some　inconvenience　by　being　so　near　Hinchingbroke；　being　obliged　to　be　a　servant　to　that　family；　and　subject　to　what　expence　they　shall　call　me；　and　to　have　all　that　I　shall　buy　or　do　esteemed　as　got　by　the　death　of　my　uncle；　when　indeed　what　I　have　from　him　is　not　worth　naming。
  27th。　　The　new　Commissioners　of　the　Treasury　have　chosen　Sir　G。　Downing　for　their　Secretary：　　and　I　think　in　my　conscience　they　have　done　a　great　thing　in　it；　for　he　is　active　and　a　man　of　business；　and　values　himself　upon　having　of　things　do　well　under　his　hand；　so　that　I　am　mightily　pleased　in　their　choice。　　Abroad；　and　stopped　at　Bear…garden　stairs；　there　to　see　a　prize　fought。　But　the　house　so　full　there　was　no　getting　in　there；　so　forced　to　go　through　an　alehouse　into　the　pit；　where　the　bears　are　baited；　and　upon　a　stool　did　see　them　fight；　which　they　did　very　furiously；　a　butcher　and　a　waterman。　　The　former　had　the　better　all　along　till　by　and　by　the　latter　dropped　his　sword　out　of　his　hand；　and　the　butcher；　whether　not　seeing　his　sword　dropped　I　know　not；　but　did　give　him　a　cut　over　the　wrist；　so　as　he　was　disabled　to　fight　any　longer。　　But；　Lord！　　to　see　how　in　a　minute　the　whole　stage　was　full　of　watermen　to　revenge　the　foul　play；　and　the　butchers　to　defend　their　fellow；　though　most　blamed　him；　and　there　they　all　fell　to　it　to　knocking　down　and　cutting　many　on　each　side。　　It　was　pleasant　to　see；　but　that　I　stood　in　the　pit；　and　feared　that　in　the　tumult　I　might　get　some　hurt。　　At　last　the　battle　broke　up；　and　so　I　away。　　The　Duke　of　Cambridge　very　ill　still。
  28th。　　Up；　and　by　coach　to　St。　James's；　where　I　find　Sir　W。　Coventry　desirous　to　have　spoke　with　me。　　It　was　to　read　over　a　draught　of　a　letter　which　he　hath　made　for　his　brother　Commissioners　and　him　to　sign　to　us；　demanding　an　account　of　the　whole　business　of　the　Navy　accounts；　and　I　perceive；　by　the　way　he　goes　about　it；　that　they　will　do　admirable　things。　　He　tells　me　that　they　have　chosen　Sir　G。　Downing　their　Secretary；　who　will　be　as　fit　a　man　as　any　in　the　world：　　and　he　said；　by　the　by；　speaking　of　the　banquers　being　fearful　of　Sir　G。　Downing's　being　Secretary；　he　being　their　enemy；　that　they　did　not　intend　to　be　ruled　by　their　Secretary　but　do　the　business　themselves。　　My　heart　is　glad　to　see　so　great　hopes　of　good　to　the　nation　as　will　be　by　these　men；　and　it　do　me　good　to　see　Sir　W。　Coventry　so　cheerfull　as　he　now　is　on　the　same　score。　　My　wife　away　down　with　Jane　and　W。　Hewer　to　Woolwich；　in　order　to　a　little　ayre　and　to　lie　there　to　night；　and　so　to　gather　May…dew　to…morrow　morning；　which　Mrs。　Turner　hath　taught　her　is　the　only　thing　in　the　world　to　wash　her　face　with；　and　I　am　contented　with　it。　　I　by　water　to　Fox…hall；　and　there　walked　in　Spring…garden。　　A　great　deal　of　company；　and　the　weather　and　garden　pleasant：　　and　it　is　very　pleasant　and　cheap　going　thither；　for　a　man　may　go　to　spend　what　he　will；　or　nothing；　all　as　one。　　But　to　hear　the　nightingale　and　other　birds；　and　hear　fiddles　and　there　a　harp；　and　here　a　Jew's　trump；　and　here　laughing；　and　there　fine　people　walking；　is　mighty　divertising。
  29th。　　Our　parson　Mills　having　the　offer　of　another　benefice　＇The　Rectory　of　Wansted　in　Essex；　to　which　he　was　presented。＇　　by　Sir　Robert　Brookes；　who　was　his　tutor；　he　by　my　Lord　Barkeley　is　made　one　of　the　Duke's　Chaplains；　which　qualifies　him　for　two　livings。　But　to　see　how　slightly　such　things　are　done；　the　Duke　of　York　only　taking　my　Lord　Barkeley's　word　upon　saying；　that　we　the　officers　of　the　Navy　do　say　that　he　is　a　good　man　and　minister　of　our　parish；　and　the　Duke　of　York　admits　him　to　kiss　his　hand；　but　speaks　not　one　word　to　him；　but　so　a　warrant　will　be　drawn　from　the　Duke　of　York　to　qualify　him；　and　there's　an　end　of　it。
  30th。　　After　dinner　I　walked　to　Arundell　House；　the　way　very　dusty；　（the　day　of　meeting　of　the　Society　being　changed　from　Wednesday　to　Thursday；　which　I　knew　not　before；　because　the　Wednesday　is　a　Council…day；　and　several　of　the　Council　are　of　the　Society；　and　would　come　but　for　their　attending　the　King　at　Council；）　where　I　find　very　much　company；　in　expectation　of　the　Duchesse　of　Newcastle；　who　had　desired　to　be　invited　to　the　Society；　and　was；　after　much　debate　PRO　and　CON；　it　seems　many　being　against　it；　and　we　do　believe　the　town　will　be　full　of　ballads　of　it。　　Anon　comes　the　Duchesse　with　her　women　attending　her；　among　others　the　Ferabosco；　of　whom　so　much　talk　is　that　her　lady　would　bid　her　show　her　face　and　kill　the　gallants。　　She　is　indeed　black；　and　hath　good　black　little　eyes；　but　otherwise　a　very　ordinary　woman　I　do　think；　but　they　say　sings　well。　　The　Duchesse　hath　been　a　good；　comely　woman；　but　her　dress　so　antick；　and　her　deportment　so　ordinary；　that　I　do　not　like　her　at　all；　nor　did　I　hear　her　say　any　thing　that　was　worth　hearing；　but　that　she　was　full　of　admiration；　all　admiration。　　Several　fine　experiments　were　shown　her　of　colours；　loadstones；　microscopes；　and　of　liquors：　　among　others；　of　one　that　did　while　she　was　there　turn　a　piece　of　roasted　mutton　into　pure　blood；　which　was　very　rare。　　Here　was　Mrs。　Moore　of　Cambridge；　whom　I　had　not　seen　before；　and　I　was　glad　to　see　her；　as　also　a　very　black　boy　that　ran　up　and　down　the　room；　somebody's　child　in　Arundell　House。　After　they　had　shown　her　many　experiments；　and　she　cried　still　she　was　full　of　admiration；　she　departed；　being　led　out　and　in　by　several　Lords　that　were　there；　among　others；　Lord　George　Barkeley　and　Earl　of　Carlisle；　＇Charles　Howard；　created　Earl　of　Carlisle　1661；　employed　on　several　Embassies；　and　Governor　of　Jamaica。　Ob。　1684。＇　　and　a　very　pretty　young　man；　the　Duke　of　Somerset。　＇Francis　fifth　Duke　of　Somerset；　murdered　in　Italy　1678。＇
  31st。　　At　the　Treasury　chamber。　　Here　I　saw　Duncomb　look　as　big；　and　take　as　much　state　on　him；　as　if　he　had　been　born　a　lord。　Here　I　met；　with　Sir　H。　Cholmly；　who　tells　me　that　he　is　told　this　day　by　Secretary　Morris　that　he　believes　we　are；　and　shall　be　only　fooled　by　the　French；　and　that　the　Dutch　are　very　high　and　insolent；　and　do　look　upon　us　as　come　over　only　to　beg　a　peace；　which　troubles　me　very　much；　and　I　do　fear　it　is　true。　Thence　to　Sir　G。　Carteret　at　his　lodgings；　who；　I　perceive；　is　mightily　displeased　with　this　new　Treasury；　and　he　hath　reason；　for　it　will　eclipse　him。　　And　he　tells　me　that　my　Lord　Ashly　says　they　understand　nothing；　and　he　says　he　believes　the　King　do　not　intend　they　shall　sit　long。　　But　I　believe　no　such　thing；　but　that　the　King　will　find　such　benefit　by　them　as　he　will　desire　to　have　them　continue；　as　we　see　he　hath　done　in　the　late　new　Act　that　was　so　much　decried　about　the　King；　but　yet　the　King　hath　since　permitted　it；　and　found　good　by　it。　　He　says；　and　I　believe；　that　a　great　many　persons　at　Court　are　angry　at　the　rise　of　this　Duncomb；　whose　father；　he　tells　me；　was　a　long…Parliament　man；　and　a