the Council Chamber, and there received some directions from the Duke of
York and the Committee of the Navy there about casting up the charge of
the present summer's fleete, that so they may come within the bounds
of the sum given by the Parliament. But it is pretty to see how Prince
Rupert and other mad, silly people, are for setting out but a little
fleete, there being no occasion for it; and say it will be best to save
the money for better uses. But Sir W. Coventry did declare that,
in wisdom, it was better to do so; but that, in obedience to the
Parliament, he was [for] setting out the fifty sail talked on, though
it spent all the money, and to little purpose; and that this was better
than to leave it to the Parliament to make bad construction of their
thrift, if any trouble should happen. Thus wary the world is grown!
Thence back again presently home, and did business till noon: and then
to Sir G. Carteret's to dinner, with much good company, it being the
King's birthday, and many healths drunk: and here I did receive another
letter from my Lord Sandwich, which troubles me to see how I have
neglected him, in not writing, or but once, all this time of his being
abroad; and I see he takes notice, but yet gently, of it, that it puts
me to great trouble, and I know not how to get out of it, having no good
excuse, and too late now to mend, he being coming home. Thence home,
whither, by agreement, by and by comes Mercer and Gayet, and two
gentlemen with them, Mr. Monteith and Pelham, the former a swaggering
young handsome gentleman, the latter a sober citizen merchant. Both
sing, but the latter with great skill-the other, no skill, but a good
voice, and a good basse, but used to sing only tavern tunes; and so I
spent all this evening till eleven at night singing with them, till
I was tired of them, because of the swaggering fellow with the base,
though the girl Mercer did mightily commend him before to me. This night
je had agreed par' alter at Deptford, there par' avoir lain con the
moher de Bagwell, but this company did hinder me.

30th. Up, and put on a new summer black bombazin suit, and so to the
office; and being come now to an agreement with my barber, to keep my
perriwig in good order at 20s. a-year, I am like to go very spruce, more
than I used to do. All the morning at the office and at noon home to
dinner, and so to the King's playhouse, and there saw "Philaster;" where
it is pretty to see how I could remember