he Prince of Tuscany to
celebrate the night with fire-works, for the King's birth-day. And so
home.

30th (Whitsunday). By water to White Hall, and thence to Sir W.
Coventry, where all the morning by his bed-side, he being indisposed.
Our discourse was upon the notes I have lately prepared for Commanders'
Instructions; but concluded that nothing will render them effectual,
without an amendment in the choice of them, that they be seamen, and not
gentleman above the command of the Admiral, by the greatness of their
relations at Court. Thence to White Hall, and dined alone with Mr.
Chevins his sister: whither by and by come in Mr. Progers and Sir Thomas
Allen, and by and by fine Mrs. Wells, who is a great beauty; and there
I had my full gaze upon her, to my great content, she being a woman of
pretty conversation. Thence to the Duke of York, who, with the officers
of the Navy, made a good entrance on my draught of my new Instructions
to Commanders, as well expressing general [views] of a reformation among
them, as liking of my humble offers towards it. Thence being called
by my wife, Mr. Gibson and I, we to the Park, whence the rain suddenly
home.

31st. Up very betimes, and so continued all the morning with W. Hewer,
upon examining and stating my accounts, in order to the fitting myself
to go abroad beyond sea, which the ill condition of my eyes, and my
neglect for a year or two, hath kept me behindhand in, and so as to
render it very difficult now, and troublesome to my mind to do it; but I
this day made a satisfactory entrance therein. Dined at home, and in the
afternoon by water to White Hall, calling by the way at Michell's, where
I have not been many a day till just the other day, and now I met her
mother there and knew her husband to be out of town. And here je did
baiser elle, but had not opportunity para hazer some with her as I would
have offered if je had had it. And thence had another meeting with
the Duke of York, at White Hall, on yesterday's work, and made a good
advance: and so, being called by my wife, we to the Park, Mary Batelier,
and a Dutch gentleman, a friend of hers, being with us. Thence to "The
World's End," a drinking-house by the Park; and there merry, and so home
late.

And thus ends all that I doubt I shall ever be able to do with my own
eyes in the keeping of my journal, I being not able to do it any longer,
having done now so long as to undo my eyes almost every time that I take
a pen in m