f Warcupp's hands, who being now under
disgrace and poor, he believes may be brought easily to part with them.
My Lord Crew, it seems, is fearfull yet that maters may be enquired
into. This I will endeavour to do, though I do not thinke it signifies
much. By and by the Duke of Yorke comes and we had a meeting and,
among other things, I did read my declaration of the proceedings of the
Victualling hired this yeare, and desired his Royall Highnesse to give
me the satisfaction of knowing whether his Royall Highnesse were pleased
therewith. He told me he was, and that it was a good account, and that
the business of the Victualling was much in a better condition than it
was the last yeare; which did much joy me, being said in the company of
my fellows, by which I shall be able with confidence to demand my salary
and the rest of the subsurveyors. Thence away mightily satisfied to Mrs.
Pierces, there to find my wife. Mrs. Pierce hath lain in of a boy about
a month. The boy is dead this day. She lies in good state, and very
pretty she is, but methinks do every day grow more and more great, and a
little too much, unless they get more money than I fear they do. Thence
with my wife and Mercer to my Lord Chancellor's new house, and there
carried them up to the leads, where I find my Lord Chamberlain,
Lauderdale, Sir Robert Murray, and others, and do find it the most
delightfull place for prospect that ever was in the world, and even
ravishing me, and that is all, in short, I can say of it. Thence to
Islington to our old house and eat and drank, and so round by Kingsland
home, and there to the office a little and Sir W. Batten's, but no newes
at all from the fleete, and so home to bed.

27th. Up and to the office, where all the morning busy. At noon dined at
home and then to the office again, and there walking in the garden with
Captain Cocke till 5 o'clock. No newes yet of the fleete. His great
bargaine of Hempe with us by his unknown proposition is disliked by the
King, and so is quite off; of which he is glad, by this means being
rid of his obligation to my Lord Bruncker, which he was tired with, and
especially his mistresse, Mrs. Williams, and so will fall into another
way about it, wherein he will advise only with myself, which do not
displease me, and will be better for him and the King too. Much common
talke of publique business, the want of money, the uneasinesse that
Parliament will find in raising any, and the ill condition