t, and so home to settle some accounts of Tangier and other
papers. I hear this day the Duke and Prince Rupert are both come back
from sea, and neither of them go back again. The latter I much wonder
at, but it seems the towne reports so, and I am very glad of it. This
morning I did a good piece of work with Sir W. Warren, ending the
business of the lotterys, wherein honestly I think I shall get above
L100. Bankert, it seems, is come home with the little fleete he hath
been abroad with, without doing any thing, so that there is nobody of an
enemy at sea. We are in great hopes of meeting with the Dutch East India
fleete, which is mighty rich, or with De Ruyter, who is so also. Sir
Richard Ford told me this day, at table, a fine account, how the Dutch
were like to have been mastered by the present Prince of Orange

[The period alluded to is 1650, when the States-General disbanded
part of the forces which the Prince of Orange (William) wished to
retain. The prince attempted, but unsuccessfully, to possess
himself of Amsterdam. In the same year he died, at the early age of
twenty-four; some say of the small-pox; others, with Sir Richard
Ford, say of poison.--B.]

his father to be besieged in Amsterdam, having drawn an army of foot
into the towne, and horse near to the towne by night, within three miles
of the towne, and they never knew of it; but by chance the Hamburgh post
in the night fell among the horse, and heard their design, and knowing
the way, it being very dark and rainy, better than they, went from
them, and did give notice to the towne before the others could reach the
towne, and so were saved. It seems this De Witt and another family, the
Beckarts, were among the chief of the familys that were enemys to the
Prince, and were afterwards suppressed by the Prince, and continued so
till he was, as they say, poysoned; and then they turned all again, as
it was, against the young Prince, and have so carried it to this day, it
being about 12 and 14 years, and De Witt in the head of them.

5th. Up, and advised about sending of my wife's bedding and things to
Woolwich, in order to her removal thither. So to the office, where all
the morning till noon, and so to the 'Change, and thence home to dinner.
In the afternoon I abroad to St. James's, and there with Mr. Coventry a
good while, and understand how matters are ordered in the fleete: that
is, my Lord Sandwich goes Admiral; under him Sir