d plainly that the
King hath been heard to say, that he would dissolve them rather than
pass this Bill with the Proviso; but tells me, that the Proviso is
removed, and now carried that it shall be done by a Bill by itself. He
tells me how the King hath lately paid about L30,000

[Two thousand pounds of this sum went to Alderman Edward Bakewell
for two diamond rings, severally charged L1000 and L900, bought
March 14th, 1665-66 (Second addenda to Steinman's "Memoir of the
Duchess of Cleveland," privately printed, 1878, p. 4.).]

to clear debts of my Lady Castlemayne's; and that she and her husband
are parted for ever, upon good terms, never to trouble one another more.
He says that he hears L400,000 hath gone into the Privypurse since this
warr; and that that hath consumed so much of our money, and makes the
King and Court so mad to be brought to discover it. He gone, and after
him the rest, I to the office, and at noon to the 'Change, where the
very good newes is just come of our four ships from Smyrna, come safe
without convoy even into the Downes, without seeing any enemy; which is
the best, and indeed only considerable good newes to our Exchange, since
the burning of the City; and it is strange to see how it do cheer up
men's hearts. Here I saw shops now come to be in this Exchange, and met
little Batelier, who sits here but at L3 per annum, whereas he sat
at the other at L100, which he says he believes will prove of as good
account to him now as the other did at that rent. From the 'Change to
Captain Cocke's, and there, by agreement, dined, and there was Charles
Porter, Temple, Fern, Debasty, whose bad English and pleasant discourses
was exceeding good entertainment, Matt. Wren, Major Cooper, and myself,
mighty merry and pretty discourse. They talked for certain, that now the
King do follow Mrs. Stewart wholly, and my Lady Castlemayne not above
once a week; that the Duke of York do not haunt my Lady Denham so much;
that she troubles him with matters of State, being of my Lord Bristoll's
faction, and that he avoids; that she is ill still. After dinner I away
to the office, where we sat late upon Mr. Gawden's accounts, Sir J.
Minnes being gone home sick. I late at the office, and then home to
supper and to bed, being mightily troubled with a pain in the small of
my back, through cold, or (which I think most true) my straining last
night to get open my plate chest, in such pain all night I could not