great
content, and my wife's, and my heart pleased to see Betty. But I have
not been so merry a very great while as with them, every thing pleasing
me there as much as among so mean company I could be pleased. After
dinner I fell to read the Acts about the building of the City again;

[Burnet wrote ("History of his Own Time," book ii.): "An act passed
in this session for rebuilding the city of London, which gave Lord
Chief Justice Hale a great reputation, for it was drawn with so true
a judgment, and so great foresight, that the whole city was raised
out of its ashes without any suits of law."]

and indeed the laws seem to be very good, and I pray God I may live to
see it built in that manner! Anon with much content home, walking with
my wife and her woman, and there to my office, where late doing much
business, and then home to supper and to bed. This morning I hear that
our discourse of peace is all in the dirt; for the Dutch will not like
of the place, or at least the French will not agree to it; so that I do
wonder what we shall do, for carry on the war we cannot. I long to hear
the truth of it to-morrow at Court.

20th. Up, with Sir W. Batten and Sir W. Pen by coach to White Hall, by
the way observing Sir W. Pen's carrying a favour to Sir W. Coventry, for
his daughter's wedding, and saying that there was others for us, when we
will fetch them, which vexed me, and I am resolved not to wear it
when he orders me one. His wedding hath been so poorly kept, that I am
ashamed of it; for a fellow that makes such a flutter as he do. When
we come to the Duke of York here, I heard discourse how Harris of his
play-house is sick, and everybody commends him, and, above all
things, for acting the Cardinall. Here they talk also how the King's
viallin,--[violin]-- Bannister, is mad that the King hath a Frenchman
come to be chief of some part of the King's musique, at which the
Duke of York made great mirth. Then withdrew to his closett, all our
business, lack of money and prospect of the effects of it, such as made
Sir W. Coventry say publickly before us all, that he do heartily wish
that his Royal Highness had nothing to do in the Navy, whatever
become of him; so much dishonour, he says, is likely to fall under the
management of it. The Duke of York was angry, as much as he could be, or
ever I saw him, with Sir G. Carteret, for not paying the masters of some
ships on Monday last, according to his promise