ng whatever any
body else would, and we did commission Sir R. Ford to give promise of
not beyond L350 to him and his Secretary, in case they did not oppose
us in the Phoenix (the net profits of which, as [Sir] R. Ford cast up
before us, the Admiral's tenths, and ship's thirds, and other charges
all cleared, will amount to L3,000) and that we did gain her. [Sir] R.
Ford did pray for a curse upon his family, if he was privy to anything
more than he told us (which I believe he is a knave in), yet we all
concluded him the most fit man for it and very honest, and so left it
wholly to him to manage as he pleased. Thence to the office a little
while longer, and so home, where W. Hewer's mother was, and Mrs. Turner,
our neighbour, and supped with us. His mother a well-favoured old little
woman, and a good woman, I believe. After we had supped, and merry, we
parted late, Mrs. Turner having staid behind to talk a little about her
lodgings, which now my Lord Bruncker upon Sir W. Coventry's surrendering
do claim, but I cannot think he will come to live in them so as to need
to put them out. She gone, we to bed all. This night, at supper, comes
from Sir W. Coventry the Order of Councill for my Lord Bruncker to do
all the Comptroller's part relating to the Treasurer's accounts, and Sir
W. Pen, all relating to the Victualler's, and Sir J. Minnes to do the
rest. This, I hope, will do much better for the King than now, and, I
think, will give neither of them ground to over-top me, as I feared they
would; which pleases me mightily. This evening, Mr. Wren and Captain
Cocke called upon me at the office, and there told me how the House was
in better temper to-day, and hath passed the Bill for the remainder of
the money, but not to be passed finally till they have done some other
things which they will have passed with it; wherein they are very open,
what their meaning is, which was but doubted before, for they do in all
respects doubt the King's pleasing them.

22nd. Up, and there come to me Darnell the fiddler, one of the Duke's
house, and brought me a set of lessons, all three parts, I heard them
play to the Duke of York after Christmas at his lodgings, and bid him
get me them. I did give him a crowne for them, and did enquire after
the musique of the "Siege of Rhodes," which, he tells me, he can get me,
which I am mighty glad of. So to the office, where among other things
I read the Councill's order about my Lord Bruncker and Sir W. Pen t