confirmed since; but the former, that they had a
ship blown up, is said to be true. This evening comes Sir G. Carteret
to the office, to talk of business at Sir W. Batten's; where all to be
undone for want of money, there being none to pay the Chest at their
publique pay the 24th of this month, which will make us a scorn to the
world. After he had done there, he and I into the garden, and walked;
and the greatest of our discourse is, his sense of the requisiteness of
his parting with his being Treasurer of the Navy, if he can, on any
good terms. He do harp upon getting my Lord Bruncker to take it on half
profit, but that he is not able to secure him in paying him so much.
But the thing I do advise him to do by all means, and he resolves on it,
being but the same counsel which I intend to take myself. My Lady Jem
goes down to Hinchingbroke to lie down, because of the troubles of the
times here. He tells me he is not sure that the King of France will not
annoy us this year, but that the Court seems [to] reckon upon it as a
thing certain, for that is all that I and most people are afeard of this
year. He tells me now the great question is, whether a Parliament or
no Parliament; and says the Parliament itself cannot be thought able at
present to raise money, and therefore it will be to no purpose to call
one. I hear this day poor Michell's child is dead.

19th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning busy with Fist again,
beginning early to overtake my business in my letters, which for a post
or two have by the late and present troubles been interrupted. At noon
comes Sir W. Batten and [Sir] W. Pen, and we to [Sir] W. Pen's house,
and there discoursed of business an hour, and by and by comes an
order from Sir R. Browne, commanding me this afternoon to attend the
Council-board, with all my books and papers touching the Medway. I
was ready [to fear] some mischief to myself, though it appears most
reasonable that it is to inform them about Commissioner Pett. I eat
a little bit in haste at Sir W. Batten's, without much comfort, being
fearful, though I shew it not, and to my office and get up some papers,
and found out the most material letters and orders in our books, and so
took coach and to the Council-chamber lobby, where I met Mr. Evelyn, who
do miserably decry our follies that bring all this misery upon us. While
we were discoursing over our publique misfortunes, I am called in to a
large Committee of the Council: pres