te new Act that was so much
decried about the King; but yet the King hath since permitted it, and
found good by it. He says, and I believe, that a great many persons at
Court are angry at the rise of this Duncomb, whose father, he tells me,
was a long-Parliamentman, and a great Committee-man; and this fellow
used to carry his papers to Committees after him: he was a kind of an
atturny: but for all this, I believe this man will be a great man, in
spite of all. Thence I away to Holborne to Mr. Gawden, whom I met at
Bernard's Inn gate, and straight we together to the Navy Office, where
we did all meet about some victualling business, and so home to dinner
and to the office, where the weather so hot now-a-days that I cannot but
sleep before I do any business, and in the evening home, and there, to
my unexpected satisfaction, did get my intricate accounts of interest,
which have been of late much perplexed by mixing of some moneys of Sir
G. Carteret's with mine, evened and set right: and so late to supper,
and with great quiet to bed; finding by the balance of my account that I
am creditor L6900, for which the Lord of Heaven be praised!

JUNE 1667

June 1st. Up; and there comes to me Mr. Commander, whom I employ about
hiring of some ground behind the office, for the building of me a stable
and coach-house: for I do find it necessary for me, both in respect to
honour and the profit of it also, my expense in hackney-coaches being
now so great, to keep a coach, and therefore will do it. Having given
him some instructions about it, I to the office, where we sat all the
morning; where we have news that our peace with Spayne, as to trade, is
wholly concluded, and we are to furnish him with some men for Flanders
against the French. How that will agree with the French, I know not; but
they say that he also hath liberty, to get what men he pleases out
of England. But for the Spaniard, I hear that my Lord Castlehaven
is raising a regiment of 4000 men, which he is to command there; and
several young gentlemen are going over in commands with him: and they
say the Duke of Monmouth is going over only as a traveller, not to
engage on either side, but only to see the campagne, which will be
becoming him much more than to live whoreing and rogueing, as he now
do. After dinner to the office, where, after a little nap, I fell to
business, and did very much with infinite joy to myself, as it always is
to me when I have dispatched much bu