usiness, as being doubtful of the trouble it may give me by provoking
them; but, however, I am resolved to go through it, and it is too late to
help it now. At noon to dinner to Captain Cocke's, where I met with Mr.
Wren; my going being to tell him what I have done, which he likes, and to
confer with Cocke about our Office; who tells me that he is confident the
design of removing our Officers do hold, but that he is sure that I am
safe enough. Which pleases me, though I do not much shew it to him, but
as a thing indifferent. So away home, and there met at Sir Richard Ford's
with the Duke of York's Commissioners about our Prizes, with whom we shall
have some trouble before we make an end with them, and hence, staying a
little with them, I with my wife, and W. Batelier, and Deb.; carried them
to Bartholomew Fayre, where we saw the dancing of the ropes and nothing
else, it being late, and so back home to supper and to bed, after having
done at my office.

28th. Busy at the office till toward 10 o'clock, and then by water to
White Hall, where attending the Council's call all the morning with Lord
Brouncker, W. Pen, and the rest, about the business of supernumeraries in
the fleete, but were not called in. But here the Duke of York did call me
aside, and told me that he must speak with me in the afternoon, with Mr.
Wren, for that now he hath got the paper from my Lord Keeper about the
exceptions taken against the management of the Navy; and so we are to
debate upon answering them. At noon I home with W. Coventry to his house;
and there dined with him, and talked freely with him; and did acquaint him
with what I have done, which he is well pleased with, and glad of: and do
tell me that there are endeavours on foot to bring the Navy into new, but,
he fears, worse hands. After much talk with great content with him, I
walked to the Temple, and staid at Starky's, my bookseller's (looking over
Dr. Heylin's new book of the Life of Bishop Laud, a strange book of the
Church History of his time), till Mr. Wren comes, and by appointment we to
the Atturney General's chamber, and there read and heard the witnesses in
the business of Ackeworth, most troublesome and perplexed by the counter
swearing of the witnesses one against the other, and so with Mr. Wren away
thence to St. [James's] for his papers, and so to White Hall, and after
the Committee was done at the Council chamber about the business of
Supernumeraries, wherein W. Pen wa