house,
whom till he did so he could never keep to their business, and now he
do. By and by the King comes out, and so I took coach, and followed his
coaches to my Lord Keeper's, at Essex House, where I never was before,
since I saw my old Lord Essex lie in state when he was dead; a large,
but ugly house. Here all the Officers of the Navy attended, and by and
by were called in to the King and Cabinet, where my Lord, who was
ill, did lie upon the bed, as my old Lord Treasurer, or Chancellor,
heretofore used to; and the business was to know in what time all the
King's ships might be repaired, fit for service. The Surveyor answered,
in two years, and not sooner. I did give them hopes that, with supplies
of money suitable, we might have them all fit for sea some part of the
summer after this. Then they demanded in what time we could set out
forty ships. It was answered, as they might be chosen of the newest and
most ready, we could, with money, get forty ready against May. The King
seemed mighty full that we should have money to do all that we desired,
and satisfied that, without it, nothing could be done: and so, without
determining any thing, we were dismissed; and I doubt all will end in
some little fleete this year, and those of hired merchant-men, which
would indeed be cheaper to the King, and have many conveniences
attending it, more than to fit out the King's own; and this, I perceive,
is designed, springing from Sir W. Coventry's counsel; and the King and
most of the Lords, I perceive, full of it, to get the King's fleete all
at once in condition for service. Thence I with Mr. Wren in his coach to
my cozen Turner's for discourse sake, and in our way he told me how the
business of the Parliament is wholly laid aside, it being overruled
now, that they shall not meet, but must be prorogued, upon this argument
chiefly, that all the differences between the two Houses, and things on
foot, that were matters of difference and discontent, may be laid aside,
and must begin again, if ever the House shall have a mind to pursue
them. They must begin all anew. Here he set me down, and I to my cozen
Turner, and stayed and talked a little; and so took my wife, and home,
and there to make her read, and then to supper, and to bed. At supper
come W. Batelier and supped with us, and told us many pretty things of
France, and the greatness of the present King.

25th. Up, and to the Committee of Tangier, where little done, and thence
I ho