me for my Cozen Roger that is
of the Committee. Thence with [Sir] W. Coventry when the House rose and
[Sir] W. Batten to St. James's, and there agreed of and signed our paper
of extraordinaries, and there left them, and I to Unthanke's, where
Mr. Falconbridge's girle is, and by and by comes my wife, who likes her
well, though I confess I cannot (though she be of my finding out and
sings pretty well), because she will be raised from so mean a condition
to so high all of a sudden; but she will be much to our profit, more
than Mercer, less expense. Here we bespoke anew gowne for her, and to
come to us on Friday. She being gone, my wife and I home by coach, and
then I presently by water with Mr. Pierce to Westminster Hall, he in the
way telling me how the Duke of York and Duke of Albemarle do not agree.
The Duke of York is wholly given up to this bitch of Denham. The Duke of
Albemarle and Prince Rupert do less agree. So that we are all in
pieces, and nobody knows what will be done the next year. The King hath
yesterday in Council declared his resolution of setting a fashion for
clothes, which he will never alter.

[There are several references to this new fashion of dress
introduced by the king, Pepys saw the Duke of York put on the vest
on the 13th, and he says Charles II. himself put it on on the 15th.
On November 4th Pepys dressed himself in the new vest and coat. See
notes, October 15th and November 22nd.]

It will be a vest, I know not well how; but it is to teach the nobility
thrift, and will do good. By and by comes down from the Committee [Sir]
W. Coventry, and I find him troubled at several things happened this
afternoon, which vexes me also; our business looking worse and worse,
and our worke growing on our hands. Time spending, and no money to set
anything in hand with; the end thereof must be speedy ruine. The Dutch
insult and have taken off Bruant's head,

[Captain Du Buat, a Frenchman in the Dutch service, plotted with two
magistrates of Rotterdam to obtain a peace with England as the
readiest means of pressing the elevation of the Prince of Orange to
the office of Captain-General. He was brought before the Supreme
Court of Holland, condemned, and executed. He had been one of the
household of the Prince of Orange who were dismissed by De Witt.]

which they have not dared to do (though found guilty of the fault he did
die for, of something of the Prin