n, it being
resolved late the last night; and, by the warrant, I find my Lord Keeper
did not then know the cause of it, the messenger being ordered to call
upon him, to tell it him by the way, as he come to us. So I up, and to
my Office to set down my Journall for yesterday, and so home, and with
my wife to Church, and then home, and to dinner, and after dinner out
with my wife by coach, to cozen Turner's, where she and The. gone to
church, but I left my wife with Mrs. Dyke and Joyce Norton, whom I
have not seen till now since their coming to town: she is become an old
woman, and with as cunning a look as ever, and thence I to White Hall,
and there walked up and down till the King and Duke of York were ready
to go forth; and here I met Will. Batelier, newly come post from France,
his boots all dirty. He brought letters to the King, and I glad to see
him, it having been reported that he was drowned, for some days past,
and then, he being gone, I to talk with Tom Killigrew, who told me and
others, talking about the playhouse, that he is fain to keep a woman on
purpose at 20s. a week to satisfy 8 or 10 of the young men of his house,
whom till he did so he could never keep to their business, and now he
do. By and by the King comes out, and so I took coach, and followed his
coaches to my Lord Keeper's, at Essex House, where I never was before,
since I saw my old Lord Essex lie in state when he was dead; a large,
but ugly house. Here all the Officers of the Navy attended, and by and
by were called in to the King and Cabinet, where my Lord, who was
ill, did lie upon the bed, as my old Lord Treasurer, or Chancellor,
heretofore used to; and the business was to know in what time all the
King's ships might be repaired, fit for service. The Surveyor answered,
in two years, and not sooner. I did give them hopes that, with supplies
of money suitable, we might have them all fit for sea some part of the
summer after this. Then they demanded in what time we could set out
forty ships. It was answered, as they might be chosen of the newest and
most ready, we could, with money, get forty ready against May. The King
seemed mighty full that we should have money to do all that we desired,
and satisfied that, without it, nothing could be done: and so, without
determining any thing, we were dismissed; and I doubt all will end in
some little fleete this year, and those of hired merchant-men, which
would indeed be cheaper to the King, and have many