of the Navy, because of the
accounts which must be uncleared at his death, besides many other
circumstances making it advisable for him to let it go. He tells me that
he fears all will come to naught in the nation soon if the King do not
mind his business, which he do not seem likely to do. He says that the
Treasury will be managed for a while by a Commission, whereof he thinks
my Lord Chancellor for the honour of it, and my Lord Ashly, and the two
Secretaries will be, and some others he knows not. I took leave of him,
and directly by water home, and there to read the life of Mr. Hooker,
which pleases me as much as any thing I have read a great while, and by
and by comes Mr. Howe to see us, and after him a little Mr. Sheply, and
so we all to talk, and, Mercer being there, we some of us to sing, and
so to supper, a great deal of silly talk. Among other things, W. Howe
told us how the Barristers and Students of Gray's Inne rose in rebellion
against the Benchers the other day, who outlawed them, and a great deal
of do; but now they are at peace again. They being gone, I to my book
again, and made an end of Mr. Hooker's Life, and so to bed.

20th. Up betimes, and comes my flagelette master to set me a new tune,
which I played presently, and shall in a month do as much as I desire
at it. He being gone, I to several businesses in my chamber, and then
by coach to the Commissioners of Excise, and so to Westminster Hall,
and there spoke with several persons I had to do with. Here among other
news, I hear that the Commissioners for the Treasury were named by the
King yesterday; but who they are nobody could tell: but the persons are
the Lord Chancellor, the two Secretaries, Lord Ashly, and others say
Sir W. Coventry and Sir John Duncomb, but all conclude the Duke of
Albemarle; but reports do differ, but will be known in a day or two.
Having done my business, I then homeward, and overtook Mr. Commander; so
took him into a coach with me, and he and I into Lincoln's Inne Fields,
there to look upon the coach-houses to see what ground is necessary for
coach-house and horses, because of that that I am going about to do, and
having satisfied myself in this he and I to Mr. Hide's to look upon the
ground again behind our house, and concluded upon his going along with
us to-morrow to see some stables, he thinking that we demand more than
is necessary. So away home, and then, I, it being a broken day, and had
power by my vows, did walk abro