ere
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 he
took me to dinner with him to a new tavern, above Charing Cross, where
some clients of his did give him a good dinner, and good company; among
others, one Bovy, a solicitor, and lawyer and merchant all together, who
hath travelled very much, did talk some things well; but only he is a
"Sir Positive:" but the talk of their travels over the Alps very fine.
Thence walked to the King's playhouse, and saw "The Mulberry Garden"
again, and cannot be reconciled to it, but only to find here and there
an independent sentence of wit, and th