and my wife at supper. My Lord seems
very kind. But I am apt to think still the worst, and that it is only in
show, my wife and Lady being there. So home, and find my father come to
lie at our house; and so supped, and saw him, poor man, to bed, my heart
never being fuller of love to him, nor admiration of his prudence and
pains heretofore in the world than now, to see how Tom hath carried
himself in his trade; and how the poor man hath his thoughts going to
provide for his younger children and my mother. But I hope they shall
never want. So myself and wife to bed.

13th. Though late, past 12, before we went to bed, yet I heard my poor
father up, and so I rang up my people, and I rose and got something to
eat and drink for him, and so abroad, it being a mighty foul day, by
coach, setting my father down in Fleet Streete and I to St. James's,
where I found Mr. Coventry (the Duke being now come thither for the
summer) with a goldsmith, sorting out his old plate to change for new;
but, Lord! what a deale he hath! I staid and had two or three hours
discourse with him, talking about the disorders of our office, and I
largely to tell him how things are carried by Sir W. Batten and Sir J.
Minnes to my great grief. He seems much concerned also, and for all the
King's matters that are done after the same rate every where else, and
even the Duke's household matters too, generally with corruption, but
most indeed with neglect and indifferency. I spoke very loud and clear
to him my thoughts of Sir J. Minnes and the other, and trust him with
the using of them. Then to talk of our business with the Dutch; he tells
me fully that he believes it will not come to a warr; for first, he
showed me a letter from Sir George Downing, his own hand, where he
assures him that the Dutch themselves do not desire, but above all
things fear it, and that they neither have given letters of marke
against our shipps in Guinny, nor do De Ruyter

[Michael De Ruyter, the Dutch admiral, was born 1607. He served
under Tromp in the war against England in 1653, and was Lieutenant
Admiral General of Holland in 1665. He died April 26th, 1676, of
wounds received in a battle with the French off Syracuse. Among the
State Papers is a news letter (dated July 14th, 1664) containing
information as to the views of the Dutch respecting a war with
England. "They are preparing many ships, and raising 6,000 men, and
have no doubt o