by Mr. Hublon
of the loss of a little East Indiaman, valued at about L20,000, coming
home alone, and safe to within ten leagues of Scilly, and there snapt
by a French Caper. Our merchants do much pray for peace; and he tells me
that letters are come that the Dutch have stopped the fitting of their
great ships, and the coming out of a fleete of theirs of 50 sayle, that
was ready to come out; but I doubt the truth of it yet. Thence to Sir G.
Carteret, by his invitation to his office, where my Lady was, and dined
with him, and very merry and good people they are, when pleased, as any
I know. After dinner I to the office, where busy till evening, and
then with Balty to Sir G. Carteret's office, and there with Mr.
Fenn despatched the business of Balty's L1500 he received for the
contingencies of the fleete, whereof he received about L253 in pieces
of eight at a goldsmith's there hard by, which did puzzle me and him to
tell; for I could not tell the difference by sight, only by bigness,
and that is not always discernible, between a whole and half-piece and
quarterpiece. Having received this money I home with Balty and it, and
then abroad by coach with my wife and set her down at her father's, and
I to White Hall, thinking there to have seen the Duchess of Newcastle's
coming this night to Court, to make a visit to the Queene, the King
having been with her yesterday, to make her a visit since her coming
to town. The whole story of this lady is a romance, and all she do is
romantick. Her footmen in velvet coats, and herself in an antique dress,
as they say; and was the other day at her own play, "The Humourous
Lovers;" the most ridiculous thing that ever was wrote, but yet she
and her Lord mightily pleased with it; and she, at the end, made her
respects to the players from her box, and did give them thanks. There is
as much expectation of her coming to Court, that so people may come to
see her, as if it were the Queen of Sheba; but I lost my labour, for she
did not come this night. So, meeting Mr. Brisband, he took me up to my
Lady Jemimah's chamber, who is let blood to-day, and so there we sat and
talked an hour, I think, very merry and one odd thing or other, and so
away, and I took up my wife at her tailor's (whose wife is brought to
bed, and my wife must be godmother), and so with much ado got a coach to
carry us home, it being late, and so to my chamber, having little left
to do at my office, my eyes being a little sore by re