as Mr. Kinaston tells me, at this day to L5
10s. per chaldron. All the afternoon busy at the office. In the evening
with my wife and Mercer took coach and to Islington to the Old House, and
there eat and drank and sang with great pleasure, and then round by
Hackney home with great pleasure, and when come home to bed, my stomach
not being well pleased with the cream we had to-night.

27th. Wakened this morning, about three o'clock, by Mr. Griffin with a
letter from Sir W. Coventry to W. Pen, which W. Pen sent me to see, that
the Dutch are come up to the Nore again, and he knows not whether further
or no, and would have, therefore, several things done: ships sunk, and I
know not what--which Sir W. Pen (who it seems is very ill this night, or
would be thought so) hath directed Griffin to carry to the Trinity House;
so he went away with the letter, and I tried and with much ado did get a
little sleep more, and so up about six o'clock, full of thought what to do
with the little money I have left and my plate, wishing with all my heart
that that was all secured. So to the office, where much business all the
morning, and the more by my brethren being all out of the way; Sir W. Pen
this night taken so ill cannot stir; [Sir] W. Batten ill at Walthamstow;
Sir J. Minnes the like at Chatham, and my Lord Bruncker there also upon
business. Horrible trouble with the backwardness of the merchants to let
us have their ships, and seamen's running away, and not to be got or kept
without money. It is worth turning to our letters this day to Sir W.
Coventry about these matters. At noon to dinner, having a haunch of
venison boiled; and all my clerks at dinner with me; and mightily taken
with Mr. Gibson's discourse of the faults of this war in its management
compared [with] that in the last war, which I will get him to put into
writing. Thence, after dinner, to the office again, and there I saw the
proclamations come out this day for the Parliament to meet the 25th of
next month; for which God be praised! and another to invite seamen to
bring in their complaints, of their being ill-used in the getting their
tickets and money, there being a Committee of the Council appointed to
receive their complaints. This noon W. Hewer and T. Hater both tell me
that it is all over the town, and Mr. Pierce tells me also, this afternoon
coming to me, that for certain Sir G. Carteret hath parted with his
Treasurer's place, and that my Lord Anglesey is