were very merry and so home, and after prayers to
write down my journall for the last five days, and so to bed.

21st. This morning Sir W. Batten, the Comptroller and I to Westminster,
to the Commissioners for paying off the Army and Navy, where the Duke
of Albemarle was; and we sat with our hats on, and did discourse about
paying off the ships and do find that they do intend to undertake it
without our help; and we are glad of it, for it is a work that will much
displease the poor seamen, and so we are glad to have no hand in it.
From thence to the Exchequer, and took L200 and carried it home, and so
to the office till night, and then to see Sir W. Pen, whither came my
Lady Batten and her daughter, and then I sent for my wife, and so we sat
talking till it was late. So home to supper and then to bed, having
eat no dinner to-day. It is strange what weather we have had all this
winter; no cold at all; but the ways are dusty, and the flyes fly up and
down, and the rose-bushes are full of leaves, such a time of the year
as was never known in this world before here. This day many more of the
Fifth Monarchy men were hanged.

22nd. To the Comptroller's house, where I read over his proposals to the
Lord Admiral for the regulating of the officers of the Navy, in which he
hath taken much pains, only he do seem to have too good opinion of them
himself. From thence in his coach to Mercer's Chappell, and so up to the
great hall, where we met with the King's Councell for Trade, upon some
proposals of theirs for settling convoys for the whole English trade,
and that by having 33 ships (four fourth-rates, nineteen fifths, ten
sixths) settled by the King for that purpose, which indeed was argued
very finely by many persons of honour and merchants that were there. It
pleased me much now to come in this condition to this place, where I was
once a petitioner for my exhibition in Paul's School; and also where Sir
G. Downing (my late master) was chairman, and so but equally concerned
with me. From thence home, and after a little dinner my wife and I by
coach into London, and bought some glasses, and then to Whitehall to
see Mrs. Fox, but she not within, my wife to my mother Bowyer, and I met
with Dr. Thomas Fuller, and took him to the Dog, where he tells me of
his last and great book that is coming out: that is, his History of all
the Families in England;' and could tell me more of my own, than I
knew myself. And also to what perfection he