alling upon Michell, whose wife and girle are pretty well, and I home
to dinner, and after dinner with Sir W. Batten to White Hall, there to
attend the Duke of York before council, where we all met at his closet
and did the little business we had, and here he did tell us how the King
of France is intent upon his design against Flanders, and hath drawn up
a remonstrance of the cause of the war, and appointed the 20th of the
next month for his rendezvous, and himself to prepare for the campaign
the 30th, so that this, we are in hopes, will keep him in employment.
Turenne is to be his general. Here was Carcasses business unexpectedly
moved by him, but what was done therein appears in my account of his
case in writing by itself. Certain newes of the Dutch being abroad on
our coast with twenty-four great ships. This done Sir W. Batten and I
back again to London, and in the way met my Lady Newcastle going with
her coaches and footmen all in velvet: herself, whom I never saw before,
as I have heard her often described, for all the town-talk is now-a-days
of her extravagancies, with her velvetcap, her hair about her ears; many
black patches, because of pimples about her mouth; naked-necked, without
any thing about it, and a black just-au-corps. She seemed to me a
very comely woman: but I hope to see more of her on Mayday. My mind
is mightily of late upon a coach. At home, to the office, where late
spending all the evening upon entering in long hand our late passages
with Carcasse for memory sake, and so home in great pain in my back by
the uneasiness of Sir W. Batten's coach driving hard this afternoon over
the stones to prevent coming too late. So at night to supper in great
pain, and to bed, where lay in great pain, not able to turn myself all
night.

27th. Up with much pain, and to the office, where all the morning. At
noon home to dinner, W. Hewer with us. This noon I got in some coals at
23s. per chaldron, a good hearing, I thank God-having not been put to
buy a coal all this dear time, that during this war poor people have
been forced to give 45s. and 50s., and L3. In the afternoon (my wife and
people busy these late days, and will be for some time, making of shirts
and smocks) to the office, where late, and then home, after letters,
and so to supper and to bed, with much pleasure of mind, after having
dispatched business. This afternoon I spent some time walking with
Mr. Moore, in the garden, among other things discoursin