ld, for the whole world seems to smile upon me, and if my house were
done that I could diligently follow my business, I would not doubt to do
God, and the King, and myself good service. And all I do impute almost
wholly to my late temperance, since my making of my vowes against wine
and plays, which keeps me most happily and contentfully to my business;
which God continue! Public matters are full of discontent, what with
the sale of Dunkirk, and my Lady Castlemaine, and her faction at Court;
though I know not what they would have more than to debauch the king,
whom God preserve from it! And then great plots are talked to be
discovered, and all the prisons in town full of ordinary people, taken
from their meeting-places last Sunday. But for certain some plots there
hath been, though not brought to a head.

NOVEMBER 1662

November 1st. Up and after a little while with my workmen I went to
my office, and then to our sitting all the morning. At noon with Mr.
Creede, whom I found at my house, to the Trinity House, to a great
dinner there, by invitacion, and much company. It seems one Captain
Evans makes his Elder Brother's dinner to-day. Among other discourses
one Mr. Oudant, secretary to the late Princesse of Orange, did discourse
of the convenience as to keeping the highways from being deep, by their
horses, in Holland (and Flanders where the ground is as miry as ours
is), going in their carts and, waggons as ours in coaches, wishing the
same here as an expedient to make the ways better, and I think there
is something in it, where there is breadth enough. Thence to my office,
sent for to meet Mr. Leigh again; from Sir H. Bennet. And he and I, with
Wade and his intelligencer and labourers, to the Tower cellars, to make
one tryall more; where we staid two or three hours digging, and dug
a great deal all under the arches, as it was now most confidently
directed, and so seriously, and upon pretended good grounds, that I
myself did truly expect to speed; but we missed of all: and so we went
away the second time like fools. And to our office, whither, a coach
being come, Mr. Leigh goes home to Whitehall; and I by appointment to
the Dolphin Tavern, to meet Wade and the other, Captn. Evett, who now
do tell me plainly, that he that do put him upon this is one that had
it from Barkestead's own mouth, and was advised with by him, just before
the King's coming in, how to get it out, and had all the signs told
him how and where