husband, at Gresham College, upon
some occasions of Tangier; and so home, with Sir John Bankes with me, to
Mark Lane.

28th. To St. James's, where the King's being with the Duke of York
prevented a meeting of the Tangier Commission. But, Lord! what a deal of
sorry discourse did I hear between the King and several Lords about him
here! but very mean methought. So with Creed to the Excise Office, and
back to White Hall, where, in the Park, Sir G. Carteret did give me an
account of his discourse lately, with the Commissioners of Accounts,
who except against many things, but none that I find considerable; among
others, that of the Officers of the Navy selling of the King's goods,
and particularly my providing him with calico flags, which having been
by order, and but once, when necessity, and the King's apparent profit,
justified it, as conformable to my particular duty, it will prove to my
advantage that it be enquired into. Nevertheless, having this morning
received from them a demand of an account of all monies within their
cognizance, received and issued by me, I was willing, upon this hint, to
give myself rest, by knowing whether their meaning therein might reach
only to my Treasurership for Tangier, or the monies employed on this
occasion. I went, therefore, to them this afternoon, to understand
what monies they meant, where they answered me, by saying, "The eleven
months' tax, customs, and prizemoney," without mentioning, any more than
I demanding, the service they respected therein; and so, without further
discourse, we parted, upon very good terms of respect, and with few
words, but my mind not fully satisfied about the monies they mean. At
noon Mr. Gibson and I dined at the Swan, and thence doing this at Brook
house, and thence caking at the Excise Office for an account of payment
of my tallies for Tangier, I home, and thence with my wife and brother
spent the evening on the water, carrying our supper with us, as high as
Chelsea; so home, making sport with the Westerne bargees, and my wife
and I singing, to my great content.

29th. The King's birth-day. To White Hall, where all very gay; and
particularly the Prince of Tuscany very fine, and is the first day of
his appearing out of mourning, since he come. I heard the Bishop of
Peterborough' preach but dully; but a good anthem of Pelham's. Home to
dinner, and then with my wife to Hyde Park, where all the evening; great
store of company, and great preparations by t