e greatest wits, but the steady man, that is a good
merchant: he instanced in Ford and Cocke, the last of whom he values
above all men as his oracle, as Mr. Coventry do Mr. Jolliffe. He says
that it is concluded among merchants, that where a trade hath once
been and do decay, it never recovers again, and therefore that the
manufacture of cloath of England will never come to esteem again; that,
among other faults, Sir Richard Ford cannot keepe a secret, and that it
is so much the part of a merchant to be guilty of that fault that the
Duke of Yoke is resolved to commit no more secrets to the merchants
of the Royall Company; that Sir Ellis Layton is, for a speech of forty
words, the wittiest man that ever he knew in his life, but longer he is
nothing, his judgment being nothing at all, but his wit most absolute.
At Somersett House he carried me in, and there I saw the Queene's new
rooms, which are most stately and nobly furnished; and there I saw her,
and the Duke of Yorke and Duchesse were there. The Duke espied me, and
came to me, and talked with me a very great while about our contract
this day with Sir W. Warren, and among other things did with some
contempt ask whether we did except Polliards, which Sir W. Batten did
yesterday (in spite, as the Duke I believe by my Lord Barkely do well
enough know) among other things in writing propose. Thence home by
coach, it raining hard, and to my office, where late, then home to
supper and to bed. This night the Dutch Embassador desired and had an
audience of the King. What the issue of it was I know not. Both sides
I believe desire peace, but neither will begin, and so I believe a warr
will follow. The Prince is with his fleet at Portsmouth, and the Dutch
are making all preparations for warr.

19th. Up and to my office all the morning. At noon dined at home;
then abroad by coach to buy for the office "Herne upon the Statute of
Charitable Uses," in order to the doing something better in the Chest
than we have done, for I am ashamed to see Sir W. Batten possess himself
so long of so much money as he hath done. Coming home, weighed, my two
silver flaggons at Stevens's. They weigh 212 oz. 27 dwt., which is about
L50, at 5s. per oz., and then they judge the fashion to be worth above
5s. per oz. more--nay, some say 10s. an ounce the fashion. But I do not
believe, but yet am sorry to see that the fashion is worth so much, and
the silver come to no more. So home and to my office, where v