him to take upon himself the place of Treasurer
of the Navy at this time, but when I consider that a regular accountant
never ought to fear any thing nor have reason I then do cease to wonder.
At noon home to dinner and to play on the flageolet with my wife, and
then to the office, where very busy close at my office till late at
night. At night walked and sang with my wife in the garden, and so home
to supper and to bed. This evening news comes for certain that the Dutch
are with their fleete before Dover, and that it is expected they will
attempt something there. The business of the peace is quite dashed
again, so as now it is doubtful whether the King will condescend to what
the Dutch demand, it being so near the Parliament, it being a thing that
will, it may be, recommend him to them when they shall find that the
not having of a peace lies on his side by denying some of their demands.
This morning Captain Clerke (Robin Clerke) was at the table, now
commands the Monmouth, and did when the enemy passed the chaine at
Chatham the other day, who said publickly at the table that he did
admire at the order when it was brought him for sinking of the Monmouth
(to the endangering of the ship, and spoiling of all her provisions)
when her number of men were upon her that he could have carried her up
the River whither he pleased, and have-been a guard to the rest, and
could have sunk her at any time. He did carry some 100 barrels of powder
out of the ship to save it after the orders come for the sinking her.
He knew no reason at all, he declares, that could lead them to order the
sinking her, nor the rest of the great ships that were sunk, but above
all admires they would burn them on shore and sink them there, when it
had been better to have sunk them long way in the middle of the River,
for then they would not have burned them so low as now they did.

10th. Up, and to the office betimes, and there all the morning very
busy causing papers to be entered and sorted to put the office in order
against the Parliament. At noon home to dinner, and then to the office
again close all the afternoon upon the same occasion with great pleasure
till late, and then with my wife and Mercer in the garden and sung, and
then home and sung, and to supper with great content, and so to bed. The
Duke of York is come back last night from Harwich, the news he brings
I know not, nor hear anything to-day from Dover, whether the enemy have
made any attempt