f Albemarle, which I read
yesterday, and I hope to find my profit in it also. So late home to bed.

15th (Lord's day). Up, and while I staid for the barber, tried to compose
a duo of counterpoint, and I think it will do very well, it being by Mr.
Berckenshaw's rule. By and by by appointment comes Mr. Povy's coach, and,
more than I expected, him himself, to fetch me to Brainford: so he and I
immediately set out, having drunk a draft of mulled sacke; and so rode
most nobly, in his most pretty and best contrived charriott in the world,
with many new conveniences, his never having till now, within a day or
two, been yet finished; our discourse upon Tangier business, want of
money, and then of publique miscarriages, nobody minding the publique, but
every body himself and his lusts. Anon we come to his house, and there I
eat a bit, and so with fresh horses, his noble fine horses, the best
confessedly in England, the King having none such, he sent me to Sir
Robert Viner's, whom I met coming just from church, and so after having
spent half-an-hour almost looking upon the horses with some gentlemen that
were in company, he and I into his garden to discourse of money, but none
is to be had, he confessing himself in great straits, and I believe it.
Having this answer, and that I could not get better, we fell to publique
talke, and to think how the fleete and seamen will be paid, which he
protests he do not think it possible to compass, as the world is now: no
money got by trade, nor the persons that have it by them in the City to be
come at. The Parliament, it seems, have voted the King L1,250,000 at
L50,000 per month, tax for the war; and voted to assist the King against
the Dutch, and all that shall adhere to them; and thanks to be given him
for his care of the Duke of Yorke, which last is a very popular vote on
the Duke's behalf. He tells me how the taxes of the last assessment,
which should have been in good part gathered, are not yet laid, and that
even in part of the City of London; and the Chimny-money comes almost to
nothing, nor any thing else looked after. Having done this I parted, my
mind not eased by any money, but only that I had done my part to the
King's service. And so in a very pleasant evening back to Mr. Povy's, and
there supped, and after supper to talke and to sing, his man Dutton's wife
singing very pleasantly (a mighty fat woman), and I wrote out one song
from her and pricked the tune, both very prett