found of great use to men; and so do Dr. Whistler,
who dined with us at the taverne. Thence home in the evening, and I to
my preparing my letter, and did go a pretty way in it, staying late upon
it, and then home to supper and to bed, the weather being on a sudden
set in to be very cold.

17th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon home to
dinner, and in the afternoon shut myself in my chamber, and there till
twelve at night finishing my great letter to the Duke of York, which do
lay the ill condition of the Navy so open to him, that it is impossible
if the King and he minds any thing of their business, but it will
operate upon them to set all matters right, and get money to carry on
the war, before it be too late, or else lay out for a peace upon any
termes. It was a great convenience to-night that what I had writ foule
in short hand, I could read to W. Hewer, and he take it fair in short
hand, so as I can read it to-morrow to Sir W. Coventry, and then come
home, and Hewer read it to me while I take it in long-hand to present,
which saves me much time. So to bed.

18th (Lord's day). Up by candle-light and on foote to White Hall, where
by appointment I met Lord Bruncker at Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and
there I read over my great letter, and they approved it: and as I do do
our business in defence of the Board, so I think it is as good a letter
in the manner, and believe it is the worst in the matter of it, as ever
come from any office to a Prince. Back home in my Lord Bruncker's coach,
and there W. Hewer and I to write it over fair; dined at noon, and
Mercer with us, and mighty merry, and then to finish my letter; and it
being three o'clock ere we had done, when I come to Sir W. Batten; he
was in a huffe, which I made light of, but he signed the letter, though
he would not go, and liked the letter well. Sir W. Pen, it seems, he
would not stay for it: so, making slight of Sir W. Pen's putting so much
weight upon his hand to Sir W. Batten, I down to the Tower Wharf, and
there got a sculler, and to White Hall, and there met Lord Bruncker, and
he signed it, and so I delivered it to Mr. Cheving,

[William Chiffinch, pimp to Charles II. and receiver of the secret
pensions paid by the French Court. He succeeded his brother, Thomas
Chiffinch (who died in April, 1666), as Keeper of the King's Private
Closet (see note, vol. v., p. 265). He is introduced by Scott into
his "Peveril of t