very rainy day, and there
a Committee for Tangier, where I was mightily pleased to see Sir W.
Coventry fall upon my Lord Bellasses' business of the 3d. in every piece
of it which he would get to himself, making the King pay 4s. 9d, while he
puts them off for 4s. 6d., so that Sir W. Coventry continues still the
same man for the King's good. But here Creed did vex me with saying that
I ought first to have my account past by the Commissioners of Tangier
before in the Exchequer. Thence W. Coventry and I in the Matted gallery,
and there he did talk very well to me about the way to save the credit of
the officers of the Navy, and their places too, by making use of this
interval of Parliament to be found to be mending of matters in the Navy,
and that nothing but this will do it, and gives an instance in themselves
of the Treasury, whereof himself and Sir John Duncombe all the world knows
have enemies, and my Lord Ashly a man obnoxious to most, and Sir Thomas
Clifford one that as a man suddenly rising and a creature of my Lord
Arlington's hath enemies enough (none of them being otherwise but the Duke
of Albemarle), yet with all this fault they hear nothing of the business
of the Treasury, but all well spoken of there. He is for the removal of
Sir John Minnes, thinking that thereby the world will see a greater change
in the hands than now they do; and I will endeavour it, and endeavour to
do some good in the office also. So home by coach, and to the office,
where ended my letters, and then home, and there got Balty to read to me
out of Sorbiere's Observations in his Voyage into England, and then to
bed.

20th. Up, and with Colonell Middleton, in a new coach he hath made him,
very handsome, to White Hall, where the Duke of York having removed his
lodgings for this year to St. James's, we walked thither; and there find
the Duke of York coming to White Hall, and so back to the Council-chamber,
where the Committee of the Navy sat; and here we discoursed several
things; but, Lord! like fools; so as it was a shame to see things of this
importance managed by a Council that understand nothing of them: and,
among other things, one was about this building of a ship with Hemskirke's
secret, to sail a third faster than any other ship; but he hath got Prince
Rupert on his side, and by that means, I believe, will get his conditions
made better than he would otherwise, or ought indeed. Having done there, I
met with Sir Richard Browne, and