lieves the Duke of York will go to sea with the
fleete, which I am sorry for in respect to his person, but yet there is
no person in condition to command the fleete, now the Captains are
grown so great, but him, it being impossible for anybody else but him to
command any order or discipline among them. He tells me there is nothing
at all in the late discourse about my Lord Sandwich and the French
Embassador meeting and contending for the way, which I wonder at, to see
the confidence of report without any ground. By and by to dinner, where
very good company. Among other discourse, we talked much of Nostradamus

[Michael Nostradamus, a physician and astrologer, born in the
diocese of Avignon, 1503. Amongst other predictions, one was
interpreted as foreshowing the singular death of Hen. II. of France,
by which his reputation was increased.]

his prophecy of these times, and the burning of the City of London, some
of whose verses are put into Booker's' Almanack this year; and Sir G.
Carteret did tell a story, how at his death he did make the town swear
that he should never be dug up, or his tomb opened, after he was buried;
but they did after sixty years do it, and upon his breast they found a
plate of brasse, saying what a wicked and unfaithful people the people
of that place were, who after so many vows should disturb and open him
such a day and year and hour; which, if true, is very strange. Then we
fell to talking of the burning of the City; and my Lady Carteret herself
did tell us how abundance of pieces of burnt papers were cast by the
wind as far as Cranborne; and among others she took up one, or had
one brought her to see, which was a little bit of paper that had been
printed, whereon there remained no more nor less than these words: "Time
is, it is done." After dinner I went and took a turn into the Park, and
then took boat and away home, and there to my chamber and to read, but
did receive some letters from Sir W. Coventry, touching the want of
victuals to Kempthorne's' fleete going to the Streights and now in the
Downes: which did trouble me, he saying that this disappointment might
prove fatal; and the more, because Sir W. Coventry do intend to come to
the office upon business to-morrow morning, and I shall not know what
answer to give him. This did mightily trouble my mind; however, I fell
to read a little in Hakewill's Apology, and did satisfy myself mighty
fair in the truth of the saying