me little reading in my chamber, to supper and to bed. This day I
sent my cozen Roger a tierce of claret, which I give him. This morning
come two of Captain Cooke's boys, whose voices are broke, and are gone
from the Chapel, but have extraordinary skill; and they and my boy, with
his broken voice, did sing three parts; their names were Blaewl and
Loggings; but, notwithstanding their skill, yet to hear them sing with
their broken voices, which they could not command to keep in tune, would
make a man mad--so bad it was.

22nd. Up, and to the office; whence Lord Bruncker, J. Minnes, W. Pen, and
I, went to examine some men that are put in there, for rescuing of men
that were pressed into the service: and we do plainly see that the
desperate condition that we put men into for want of their pay, makes them
mad, they being as good men as ever were in the world, and would as
readily serve the King again, were they but paid. Two men leapt
overboard, among others, into the Thames, out of the vessel into which
they were pressed, and were shot by the soldiers placed there to keep
them, two days since; so much people do avoid the King's service! And
then these men are pressed without money, and so we cannot punish them for
any thing, so that we are forced only to make a show of severity by
keeping them in prison, but are unable to punish them. Returning to the
office, did ask whether we might visit Commissioner Pett, to which, I
confess, I have no great mind; and it was answered that he was close
prisoner, and we could not; but the Lieutenant of the Tower would send for
him to his lodgings, if we would: so we put it off to another time.
Returned to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon to
Captain Cocke's to dinner; where Lord Bruncker and his Lady, Matt. Wren,
and Bulteale, and Sir Allen Apsly; the last of whom did make good sport,
he being already fallen under the retrenchments of the new Committee, as
he is Master Falconer;

[The post of Master Falconer was afterwards granted to Charles's son
by Nell Gwyn, and it is still held by the Duke of St. Albans, as an
hereditary office.--B.]

which makes him mad, and swears that we are doing that the Parliament
would have done--that is, that we are now endeavouring to destroy one
another. But it was well observed by some at the table, that they do not
think this retrenching of the King's charge will be so acceptable to the
Parliament, they having gi