ad been turned out of his place when he was a boatswain,
not long before, for being a drunkard. This the Prince took notice of,
and would have been angry, I think, but they let their discourse fall:
but the Duke of York was earnest in it. And the Prince said to me,
standing by me, "God damn me, if they will turn out every man that will
be drunk, they must turn out all the commanders in the fleete. What is
the matter if he be drunk, so when he comes to fight he do his work? At
least, let him be punished for his drunkenness, and not put out of his
command presently." This he spoke, very much concerned for this idle
fellow, one Greene. After this the King began to tell stories of the
cowardice of the Spaniards in Flanders, when he was there, at the siege
of Mardike and Dunkirke; which was very pretty, though he tells them but
meanly. This being done I to Westminster Hall, and there staid a little:
and then home, and by the way did find with difficulty the Life of Sir
Philip Sidney (the book I mentioned yesterday). And the bookseller told
me that he had sold four, within this week or two, which is more than
ever he sold in all his life of them; and he could not imagine what
should be the reason of it: but I suppose it is from the same reason of
people's observing of this part therein, touching his prophesying our
present condition here in England in relation to the Dutch, which is
very remarkable. So home to dinner, where Balty's wife is come to town;
she come last night and lay at my house, but being weary was gone to bed
before I come home, and so I saw her not before. After dinner I took
my wife and her girl out to the New Exchange, and there my wife bought
herself a lace for a handkercher, which I do give her, of about L3, for
a new year's gift, and I did buy also a lace for a band for myself, and
so home, and there to the office busy late, and so home to my chamber,
where busy on some accounts, and then to supper and to bed. This day my
wife shows me a locket of dyamonds worth about L40, which W. Hewer
do press her to accept, and hath done for a good while, out of his
gratitude for my kindness and hers to him. But I do not like that she
should receive it, it not being honourable for me to do it; and so do
desire her to force him to take it back again, he leaving it against her
will yesterday with her. And she did this evening force him to take it
back, at which she says he is troubled; but, however, it becomes me more
to