great
difficulty, company being there, did get an opportunity to hazer what I
would con her, and here I was mightily taken with a starling which
she hath, that was the King's, which he kept in his bedchamber; and
do whistle and talk the most and best that ever I heard anything in my
life. Thence to visit Sir H. Cholmly, who continues still sick of his
cold, and thence calling, but in vain, to speak with Sir G. Carteret at
his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, where I spoke with nobody, but home,
where spent the evening talking with W. Hewer about business of the
House, and declaring my expectation of all our being turned out. Hither
comes Carcasse to me about business, and there did confess to me of his
own accord his having heretofore discovered as a complaint against Sir
W. Batten, Sir W. Pen and me that we did prefer the paying of some men
to man "The Flying Greyhound" to others, by order under our hands. The
thing upon recollection I believe is true, and do hope no great matter
can be made of it, but yet I would be glad to have my name out of it,
which I shall labour to do; in the mean time it weighs as a new trouble
on my mind, and did trouble me all night. So without supper to bed, my
eyes being also a little overwrought of late that I could not stay up to
read.

2nd. Up and betimes to the office, where I did much business, and
several come to me, and among others I did prepare Mr. Warren, and by
and by Sir D. Gawden, about what presents I have had from them, that
they may not publish them, or if they do, that in truth I received none
on the account of the Navy but Tangier, and this is true to the former,
and in both that I never asked any thing of them. I must do the like
with the rest. Mr. Moore was with me, and he do tell me, and so W.
Hewer tells me, he hears this morning that all the town is full of the
discourse that the Officers of the Navy shall be all turned out, but
honest Sir John Minnes, who, God knows, is fitter to have been turned
out himself than any of us, doing the King more hurt by his dotage and
folly than all the rest can do by their knavery, if they had a mind to
it. At noon home to dinner, where was Mercer, and very merry as I could
be with my mind so full of business, and so with my wife, her and the
girl, to the King's house to see the "Virgin Martyr" again, which do
mightily please me, but above all the musique at the coming down of the
angel, which at this hearing the second time, do still