o Westminster Hall, and
there walked a turn or two with Sir William Doyly, who did lay a wager
with me, the Treasurership would be in one hand, notwithstanding this
present Commission, before Christmas: on which we did lay a poll of
ling, a brace of carps, and a pottle of wine; and Sir W. Pen and Mr.
Scowen to be at the eating of them. Thence down by water to Deptford, it
being Trinity Monday, when the Master is chosen, and there, finding them
all at church, and thinking they dined, as usual, at Stepny, I turned
back, having a good book in my hand, the Life of Cardinal Wolsey, wrote
by his own servant, and to Ratcliffe; and so walked to Stepny, and
spent, my time in the churchyard, looking over the gravestones,
expecting when the company would come by. Finding no company stirring,
I sent to the house to see; and, it seems, they dine not there, but
at Deptford: so I back again to Deptford, and there find them just sat
down. And so I down with them; and we had a good dinner of plain meat,
and good company at our table: among others, my good Mr. Evelyn, with
whom, after dinner, I stepped aside, and talked upon the present posture
of our affairs; which is, that the Dutch are known to be abroad with
eighty sail of ships of war, and twenty fire-ships; and the French come
into the Channell with twenty sail of men-of-war, and five fireships,
while we have not a ship at sea to do them any hurt with; but are
calling in all we can, while our Embassadors are treating at Bredah; and
the Dutch look upon them as come to beg peace, and use them accordingly;
and all this through the negligence of our Prince, who hath power, if he
would, to master all these with the money and men that he hath had the
command of, and may now have, if he would mind his business. But,
for aught we see, the Kingdom is likely to be lost, as well as the
reputation of it is, for ever; notwithstanding so much reputation got
and preserved by a rebel that went before him. This discourse of ours
ended with sorrowful reflections upon our condition, and so broke up,
and Creed and I got out of the room, and away by water to White Hall,
and there he and I waited in the Treasury-chamber an hour or two, where
we saw the Country Receivers and Accountants for money come to attend;
and one of them, a brisk young fellow, with his hat cocked like a fool
behind, as the present fashion among the blades is, committed to the
Serjeant. By and by, I, upon desire, was called in, and d