very discreetly
tell the Duke (though quite against his judgement and inclination),
that, however, the King's new captains ought to be borne with a little
and encouraged. By which he will oblige that party, and prevent, as much
as may be, their envy; but he says that certainly things will go to rack
if ever the old captains should be wholly out, and the new ones only
command. Then we fell to talk of Sir J. Minnes, of whom my Lord hath
a very slight opinion, and that at first he did come to my Lord very
displeased and sullen, and had studied and turned over all his books to
see whether it had ever been that two flags should ride together in the
main-top, but could not find it, nay, he did call his captains on board
to consult them. So when he came by my Lord's side, he took down his
flag, and all the day did not hoist it again, but next day my Lord did
tell him that it was not so fit to ride without a flag, and therefore
told him that he should wear it in the fore-top, for it seems my Lord
saw his instructions, which were that he should not wear his flag in the
maintop in the presence of the Duke or my Lord. But that after that my
Lord did caress him, and he do believe him as much his friend as his
interest will let him. I told my Lord of the late passage between Swan
and me, and he told me another lately between Dr. Dell and himself when
he was in the country. At last we concluded upon dispatching all his
accounts as soon as possible, and so I parted, and to my office, where
I met Sir W. Pen, and he desired a turn with me in the garden, where
he told me the day now was fixed for his going into Ireland;--[Penn was
Governor of Kinsale.-B.]--and that whereas I had mentioned some service
he could do a friend of mine there, Saml. Pepys,

[Mentioned elsewhere as "My cousin in Ireland." He was son of Lord
Chief Justice Richard Pepys.]

he told me he would most readily do what I would command him, and then
told me we must needs eat a dish of meat together before he went, and
so invited me and my wife on Sunday next. To all which I did give a cold
consent, for my heart cannot love or have a good opinion of him since
his last playing the knave with me, but he took no notice of our
difference at all, nor I to him, and so parted, and I by water to
Deptford, where I found Sir W. Batten alone paying off the yard three
quarters pay. Thence to dinner, where too great a one was prepared, at
which I was very much troubled, a