s of supernumeraries
in the fleete, but were not called in. But here the Duke of York did
call me aside, and told me that he must speak with me in the afternoon,
with Mr. Wren, for that now he hath got the paper from my Lord Keeper
about the exceptions taken against the management of the Navy; and so
we are to debate upon answering them. At noon I home with W. Coventry to
his house; and there dined with him, and talked freely with him; and did
acquaint him with what I have done, which he is well pleased with, and
glad of: and do tell me that there are endeavours on foot to bring the
Navy into new, but, he fears, worse hands. After much talk with great
content with him, I walked to the Temple, and staid at Starky's, my
bookseller's (looking over Dr. Heylin's new book of the Life of Bishop
Laud, a strange book of the Church History of his time), till Mr. Wren
comes, and by appointment we to the Atturney General's chamber, and
there read and heard the witnesses in the business of Ackeworth, most
troublesome and perplexed by the counter swearing of the witnesses one
against the other, and so with Mr. Wren away thence to St. [James's] for
his papers, and so to White Hall, and after the Committee was done at
the Council chamber about the business of Supernumeraries, wherein W.
Pen was to do all and did, but like an ignorant illiterate coxcomb,
the Duke of York fell to work with us, the Committee being gone, in
the Council-chamber; and there, with his own hand, did give us his long
letter, telling us that he had received several from us, and now did
give us one from him, taking notice of our several duties and failures,
and desired answer to it, as he therein desired; this pleased me well;
and so fell to other business, and then parted. And the Duke of York,
and Wren, and I, it being now candle-light, into the Duke of York's
closet in White Hall; and there read over this paper of my Lord
Keeper's, wherein are laid down the faults of the Navy, so silly,
and the remedies so ridiculous, or else the same that are now already
provided, that we thought it not to need any answer, the Duke of York
being able himself to do it: that so it makes us admire the confidence
of these men to offer things so silly, in a business of such moment. But
it is a most perfect instance of the complexion of the times! and so the
Duke of York said himself, who, I perceive, is mightily concerned in it,
and do, again and again, recommend it to Mr. Wren and m