he　Navy；　and　giving　me　good　words；　did　fall　foul　of　the　constitution；　and　did　then　discover　his　thoughts；　that　Sir　J。　Minnes　was　too　old；　and　so　was　Colonell　Middleton；　and　that　my　Lord　Brouncker　did　mind　his　mathematics　too　much。　　I　did　not　give　much　encouragement　to　that　of　finding　fault　with　my　fellow…officers；　but　did　stand　up　for　the　constitution；　and　did　say　that　what　faults　there　were　in　our　office　would　be　found　not　to　arise　from　the　constitution；　but　from　the　failures　of　the　officers　in　whose　hands　it　was。　　This　he　did　seem　to　give　good　ear　to；　but　did　give　me　of　myself　very　good　words；　which　pleased　me　well；　though　I　shall　not　build　upon　them　any　thing。　　Thence　home；　and　after　dinner　by　water　with　Tom　down　to　Greenwich；　he　reading　to　me　all　the　way　coming　and　going　my　collections　out　of　the　Duke　of　York's　old　manuscript　of　the　Navy；　which　I　have　bound　up；　and　do　please　me　mightily。　　At　Greenwich　I　came　to　Captain　Cocke's；　where　the　house　full　of　company　at　the　burial　of　James　Temple；　who　it　seems　hath　been　dead　these　five　days。　　Here　I　had　a　very　good　ring；　which　I　did　give　my　wife　as　soon　as　I　came　home。　　I　spent　my　time　there　walking　in　the　garden　talking　with　James　Pierce；　who　tells　me　that　he　is　certain　that　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　had　been　with　his　wenches　all　the　time　that　he　was　absent；　which　was　all　the　last　week；　nobody　knowing　where　he　was。　　The　great　talk　is　of　the　King's　being　hot　of　late　against　Conventicles；　and　to　see　whether　the　Duke　of　Buckingham's　being　returned　will　turn　the　King；　which　will　make　him　very　popular；　and　some　think　it　is　his　plot　to　make　King　thus；　to　show　his　power　in　the　making　him　change　his　mind。　　But　Pierce　did　tell　me　that　the　King　did　certainly　say；　that　he　that　took　one　stone　from　the　Church　did　take　two　from　his　Crown。　　By　and　by　the　corpse　came　out；　and　I　with　Sir　Richard　Browne　and　Mr。　Evelyn　in　their　coach　to　the　church；　where　Mr。　Plume　preached。　　＇Thomas　Plume；　D。D。；　Vicar　of　Greenwich　1662；　and　installed　Archdeacon　of　Rochester　1679。　Ob；　1704。＇
  30th。　　Up；　and　to　Sir　W。　Coventry；　to　see　and　discourse　with　him；　and　he　tells　me　that　he　hath　lately　been　with　my　Lord　Keeper；　and　had　much　discourse　about　the　Navy：　　and　particularly　he　tells　me　that　he　finds　they　are　divided　touching　me　and　my　Lord　Brouncker；　some　are　for　removing；　and　some　for　keeping　us。　　He　told　my　Lord　Keeper　that　it　should　cost　the　King　10；000l。　before　he　had　made　another　as　fit　to　serve　him　in　the　Navy　as　I　am；　which　though　I　believe　it　is　true；　yet　I　am　much　pleased　to　have　that　character　given　me　by　Sir　W。　Coventry；　whatever　be　the　success　of　it。　　But　I　perceive　they　do　think　that　I　know　too　much；　and　shall　impose　upon　whomever　shall　come　next；　and　therefore　must　be　removed；　though　he　tells　me　that　Sir　T。　Clifford　is　inclined　well　enough　to　me；　and　Sir　T。　Osborne；　by　what　I　have　lately　done；　I　suppose。　This　news　is　but　what　I　ought　not　to　be　much　troubled　for；　considering　my　incapacity；　in　regard　to　my　eyes；　to　continue　long　at　this　work。
  31st。　　Up；　and　by　water　to　Sir　W。　Coventry's；　there　to　talk　with　him　about　business　of　the　Navy；　and　received　from　him　direction　what　to　advise　the　Duke　of　York　at　this　time；　which　was　to　submit　and　give　way　to　the　King's　naming　a　man　or　two　that　the　people　about　him　have　a　mind　should　be　brought　into　the　Navy；　and　perhaps　that　may　stop　their　fury　in　running　further　against　the　whole：　　and　this；　he　believes；　will　do　it。　　After　much　discourse　with　him；　I　walked　out　with　him　into　St。　James's　Park；　where；　being　afraid　to　be　seen　with　him；　（he　having　not　leave　yet　to　kiss　the　King's　hand；　but　notice　taken；　as　I　hear；　of　all　that　go　to　him；）　I　did　take　the　pretence　of　my　attending　the　Tangier　Committee　to　take　my　leave；　though　to　serve　him　I　should；　I　think；　stick　at　nothing。　　At　the　Committee　this　morning　my　Lord　Middleton　declares　at　last　his　being　ready　to　go；　as　soon　as　ever　money　can　be　made　ready　to　pay　the　garrison：　　and　so　I　have　orders　to　get　money；　but　how　soon　I　know　not。　　Thence　to　Dancre's；　and　there　saw　our　pictures　which　are　in　doing：　　and　I　did　choose　a　view　of　Rome　instead　of　Hampton　Court；　and　mightily　pleased　I　shall　be　in　them。　　Here　were　Sir　Charles　Cotterell　and　his　son　bespeaking　something：　　both　ingenious　men；　I　hear。　Thence　my　wife　and　I　to　the　Park；　and　pretty　store　of　company；　and　so　home　with　great　content。　　And　so　ends　the　month；　my　mind　in　pretty　good　content　for　all　things　but　the　designs　on　foot　to　bring　alterations　in　the　office；　which　trouble　me。
  APRIL　1。　1669。　　Up；　and　with　Colonell　Middleton　（at　the　desire　of　Rear…Admiral　Kempthorne　the　president；　for　our　assisting　them）　to　the　Court…Martiall　on　board　a　yacht　in　the　River　here　to　try　the　business　of　the　purser's　complaints；　（Baker　against　Trevanion；　his　commander；　of　〃The　Dartmouth。〃）　　But；　Lord！　　to　see　what　wretched　doings　there　were　among　all　the　commanders　to　ruin　the　purser；　and　defend　the　captain　in　all　his　rogueries；　be　it　to　the　prejudice　of　the　King　or　purser；　no　good　man　could　bear！　　I　confess　I　was　pretty　high；　which　the　young　gentlemen　commanders　did　not　like：　　and　Middleton　did　the　same。　　But　could　not　bring　it　to　any　issue　this　day；　sitting　till　two　o'clock；　and　therefore　we；　being　sent　for；　went　to　Sir　W。　Pen's　by　invitation　to　dine。　At　my　cosen　Turner's；　and　there　we　staid　awhile　and　talked：　　and　particularly　here　we　met　with　Dr。　Ball；　the　parson　of　the　Temple；　who　did　tell　me　a　great　many　pretty　stories　about　the　manner　of　the　parsons　being　paid　for　their　preaching　at　Paul's　heretofore　and　now；　and　the　ground　of　the　lecture；　and　heretofore　for　the　names　of　the　founders　thereof；　which　were　many；　at　some　5s。　some　8s。　per　annum　towards　it：　　and　had　their　names　read　in　the　pulpit　every　sermon　among　those　holy　persons　that　the　Church　do　order　a　collect　for　giving　God　thanks　for。
  2nd。　　To　White　Hall；　and　there　to　the　Duke　of　York's　lodgings；　whither　he；　by　and　by；　by　his　appointment　came：　　and　alone　with　him　an　hour　in　his　closet；　telling　him　mine　and　Sir　W。　Coventry's　advice　touching　the　present　posture　of　the　Navy；　as　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　and　the　rest　do　now　labour　to　make　changes　therein；　and　that　it　were　best　for　him　to　suffer　the　King　to　be　satisfied　with　the　bringing　in　of　a　man　or　two　whom　they　desire。　　I　did　also　give　the　Duke　of　York　a　short　account　of　the　history　of　the　Navy　as　to　our　office；　wherewith　he　was　very　well　satisfied：　　but　I　do　find　that　he　is　pretty　stiff　against　their　bringing　in　of　men　against　his　mind；　as　the　Treasurers　were；　and　particularly　against　Child's　coming　in；　because　he　is　a　merchant。　　After　much　discourse　with　him　we　parted：　　and　the　Council　sat　while　I　staid　waiting　for　his　telling　me　when　I　should　be　ready　to　give　him　a　written　account　of　the　administration　of　the　Navy；　which　caused　me　to　wait　the　whole　afternoon；　till　night。　　In　the　mean　time；　stepping　to　the　Duchesse　of　York's　side　to　speak　with　Lady　Peterborough；　I　did　see　the　young　Duchesse；　a　little　child　in　hanging　sleeves；　dance　most　finely；　so　as　almost　to　ravish　me；　her　ears　were　so　good。　　Taught　by　a　Frenchman　that　did　heretofore　teach　the　King；　and　all　the　King's　children；　and　the　Queene…　Mother　herself；　who　do　still　dance　well。
  3rd。　　Up；　and　to　the　Council　of　War　again　with　Middleton：　　but　the　proceedings　of　the　commanders　so　devilishly　bad；　and　so　professedly　partial　to　the　captain；　that　I　could　endure　it　no　longer；　but　took　occasion　to　pretend　business　at　the　office；　and　away；　and　Colonell　Middleton　with　me；　who　was　of　the　same　mind；　and　resolved　to　declare　our　minds　freely　to　the　Duke　of　York　about　it。
  4th。　　After　dinner　with　Sir　J。　Minnes　and　T。　Middleton　to　White　Hall；　by　appointment；　and　at　my　Lord　Arlington's　the　office　did　attend　the　King　and　caball；　to　discourse　of　the　further　quantity　of　victuals　fit　to　be　declared　for；　which　was　2000　men　for　six　months；　and　so　without　more　ado　or　stay　there；　hearing　no　news　but　that　Sir　Thomas　Allen　is　to　be　expected　every　hour　at　home　with　his　fleet；　or　news　of　his　being　gone　back　to　Algier。　　The　Queene…Mother　hath　been　of　late　mighty　ill；　and　some　fears　of　her　death。
  5th。　　Went　five　or　six　miles　towards　Branford；　where　the　Prince　of　Tuscany；　＇Cosmo　de'　Medici；　who　succeeded　his　father　Ferdinand　in　the　Dukedom　of　Tuscany　1670。　　His　Tour　in　England　has　been　recently　published。＇　　who　comes　into　England　only　to　spend　money　and　see　our　country；　comes　into　the　town　to…day；　and　is　much　expected；　and　we　met　him；　but　the　coach　passing　by　apace　we　could　not　see　much　of　him；　but　he　seems　a　very　jolly　and　good　comely　man。
  6th。　　Middleton　and　I　did　in　plain　terms　acquaint　the　Duke　of　York　what　we　thought　and　had　observed　in　the　late　Court…martiall；　which　the　Duke　of　York　did　give　ear　to；　and　though　he　thinks　not　fit　to　revoke　what　is　already　done　in　this　case　by　a　Court…　martiall；　yet　it　shall　bring　forth　some　good　laws　in　the　behaviour　of　captains　to　their　under…officers　for　the　time　to　come。
  7th。　　To　the　Lords　of　the　Treasury；　where　all　the　morning；　and　settled　matters　to　their　liking　about　the　assignments　on　the　Customes　between　the　Navy…office　and　Victualler；　and　to　that　end　spent　most　of　the　morning　there　with　D。　Gauden。　　I　to　the　Council…chamber；　and　there　heard　the　great　complaint　of　the　City；　tried　against　the　gentlemen