I find myself, by my expense in bands and clothes this month, abated
a little of my last, and that I am worth L679 still; for which God be
praised. So home and to bed with quiett mind, blessed be God, but afeard
of my candle's going out, which makes me write thus slubberingly.

27th. Up, and after giving order to the plasterer now to set upon the
finishing of my house, then by water to wait upon the Duke, and walking
in the matted Gallery, by and by comes Mr. Coventry and Sir John Minnes,
and then to the Duke, and after he was ready, to his closet, where I
did give him my usual account of matters, and afterwards, upon Sir J.
Minnes' desire to have one to assist him in his employment, Sir W. Pen
is appointed to be his, and Mr. Pett to be the Surveyor's assistant.
Mr. Coventry did desire to be excused, and so I hope (at least it is my
present opinion) to have none joined with me, but only Mr. Coventry do
desire that I would find work for one of his clerks, which I did not
deny, but however I will think of it, whether without prejudice to mine
I can do it. Thence to my Lord Sandwich, who now-a-days calls me into
his chamber, and alone did discourse with me about the jealousy that the
Court have of people's rising; wherein he do much dislike my Lord Monk's
being so eager against a company of poor wretches, dragging them up and
down the street; but would have him rather to take some of the greatest
ringleaders of them, and punish them; whereas this do but tell the world
the King's fears and doubts. For Dunkirk; he wonders any wise people
should be so troubled thereat, and scorns all their talk against it,
for that he says it was not Dunkirk, but the other places, that did and
would annoy us, though we had that, as much as if we had it not. He also
took notice of the new Ministers of State, Sir H. Bennet and Sir Charles
Barkeley, their bringing in, and the high game that my Lady Castlemaine
plays at Court (which I took occasion to mention as that that the people
do take great notice of), all which he confessed. Afterwards he told me
of poor Mr. Spong, that being with other people examined before the King
and Council (they being laid up as suspected persons; and it seems Spong
is so far thought guilty as that they intend to pitch upon him to put
to the wracke or some other torture), he do take knowledge of my Lord
Sandwich, and said that he was well known to Mr. Pepys. But my Lord
knows, and I told him, that it was only in matte