God bless me, to apply myself soberly to settle all
matters for myself, and expect the event of all with comfort. So home to
supper and to bed.

9th. Up and to the office, where we sat the first day since the fire,
I think. At noon home, and my uncle Thomas was there, and dined with my
brother and I (my father and I were gone abroad), and then to the office
again in the afternoon, and there close all day long, and did much
business. At night to Sir W. Batten, where Sir R. Ford did occasion some
discourse of sending a convoy to the Maderas; and this did put us
upon some new thoughts of sending our privateer thither on merchants'
accounts, which I have more mind to, the profit being certain and
occasion honest withall. So home, and to supper with my father, and then
to set my remainder of my books gilt in order with much pleasure, and so
late to bed.

10th (Fast-day for the fire). Up with Sir W. Batten by water to White
Hall, and anon had a meeting before the Duke of York, where pretty to
see how Sir W. Batten, that carried the surveys of all the fleete with
him, to shew their ill condition to the Duke of York, when he found
the Prince there, did not speak one word, though the meeting was of his
asking--for nothing else. And when I asked him, he told me he knew the
Prince too well to anger him, so that he was afeard to do it. Thence
with him to Westminster, to the parish church, where the Parliament-men,
and Stillingfleete in the pulpit. So full, no standing there; so he
and I to eat herrings at the Dog Taverne. And then to church again, and
there was Mr. Frampton in the pulpit, they cry up so much, a young man,
and of a mighty ready tongue. I heard a little of his sermon, and liked
it; but the crowd so great, I could not stay. So to the Swan, and 'baise
la fille', and drank, and then home by coach, and took father, wife,
brother, and W. Hewer to Islington, where I find mine host dead. Here
eat and drank, and merry; and so home, and to the office a while, and
then to Sir W. Batten to talk a while, and with Captain Cocke into the
office to hear his newes, who is mighty conversant with Garraway and
those people, who tells me what they object as to the maladministration
of things as to money. But that they mean well, and will do well; but
their reckonings are very good, and show great faults, as I will insert
here. They say the king hath had towards this war expressly thus much

Royal Ayde.............................