t very
unsafe at this time to write, or almost do any thing. Several captains
come to the office yesterday and to-day, complaining that their men come
and go when they will, and will not be commanded, though they are paid
every night, or may be. Nay, this afternoon comes Harry Russell from
Gravesend, telling us that the money carried down yesterday for the
Chest at Chatham had like to have been seized upon yesterday, in the
barge there, by seamen, who did beat our watermen: and what men should
these be but the boat's crew of Sir Fretcheville Hollis, who used to
brag so much of the goodness and order of his men, and his command over
them. Busy all the afternoon at the office. Towards night I with Mr.
Kinaston to White Hall about a Tangier order, but lost our labour, only
met Sir H. Cholmly there, and he tells me great newes; that this day
in Council the King hath declared that he will call his Parliament in
thirty days: which is the best newes I have heard a great while, and
will, if any thing, save the kingdom. How the King come to be advised to
this, I know not; but he tells me that it was against the Duke of
York's mind flatly, who did rather advise the King to raise money as
he pleased; and against the Chancellor's, who told the King that Queen
Elizabeth did do all her business in eighty-eight without calling a
Parliament, and so might he do, for anything he saw. But, blessed be
God! it is done; and pray God it may hold, though some of us must surely
go to the pot, for all must be flung up to them, or nothing will be
done. So back home, and my wife down by water, I sent her, with Mrs.
Hewer and her son, W. Hewer, to see the sunk ships, while I staid at the
office, and in the evening was visited by Mr. Roberts the merchant by us
about the getting him a ship cleared from serving the King as a man of
war, which I will endeavour to do. So home to supper and to bed.

26th. Up, and in dressing myself in my dressing chamber comes up Nell,
and I did play with her.... So being ready I to White Hall by water, and
there to the Lords Treasurers' chamber, and there wait, and here it is
every body's discourse that the Parliament is ordered to meet the 25th
of July, being, as they say, St. James's day; which every creature is
glad of. But it is pretty to consider how, walking to the Old Swan
from my house, I met Sir Thomas Harvy, whom, asking the newes of the
Parliament's meeting, he told me it was true, and they would certainly
ma