rather than this Jackson that he is
upon; and I confess I have a mighty mind to have a relation so able a
man, and honest, and so old an acquaintance as Mr. Cumberland. I shall
hear his answer by the next [post]. At night home and to cards with my
wife and girle, and to supper late, and so to bed.

10th. Up, and with Sir Denis Gawden, who called me, to White Hall, and
there to wait on the Duke of York with the rest of my brethren, which we
did a little in the King's Greenroom, while the King was in Council: and
in this room we found my Lord Bristoll walking alone; which, wondering
at, while the Council was sitting, I was answered that, as being a
Catholique, he could not be of the Council, which I did not consider
before. After broke up and walked a turn or two with Lord Brouncker
talking about the times, and he tells me that he thinks, and so do every
body else, that the great business of putting out some of the Council to
make room for some of the Parliament men to gratify and wheedle them is
over, thinking that it might do more hurt than good, and not obtain much
upon the Parliament either. This morning there was a Persian in that
country dress, with a turban, waiting to kiss the King's hand in the
Vane-room, against he come out: it was a comely man as to features, and
his dress, methinks, very comely. Thence in Sir W. Pen's coach alone (he
going with Sir D. Gawden) to my new bookseller's, Martin's; and there
did meet with Fournier,

[George Fournier, a Jesuit, born at Caen in 1569, was the author of
several nautical works. His chief one, "L'Hydrographie," was
published at Paris in folio in 1663. A second edition appeared in
1667.]

the Frenchman, that hath wrote of the Sea and Navigation, and I could
not but buy him, and also bespoke an excellent book, which I met with
there, of China. The truth is, I have bought a great many books lately
to a great value; but I think to buy no more till Christmas next, and
those that I have will so fill my two presses that I must be forced to
give away some to make room for them, it being my design to have no more
at any time for my proper library than to fill them. Thence home and
to the Exchange, there to do a little business, where I find everybody
concerned whether we shall have out a fleete this next year or no, they
talking of a peace concluded between France and Spayne, so that the King
of France will have nothing to do with his army unless he comes