little with my wife, and then to supper and to bed. No
news at all this day what we have done to the enemy, but that the enemy is
fallen down, and we after them, but to little purpose.

27th. Up and to the office, where I hear that Sir John Coventry is come
over from Bredah, a nephew, I think, of Sir W. Coventry's: but what
message he brings I know not. This morning news is come that Sir Jos.
Jordan is come from Harwich, with sixteen fire-ships and four other little
ships of war: and did attempt to do some execution upon the enemy, but did
it without discretion, as most do say, so as that they have been able to
do no good, but have lost four of their fire ships. They attempted
[this], it seems, when the wind was too strong, that our grapplings could
not hold: others say we come to leeward of them, but all condemn it as a
foolish management. They are come to Sir Edward Spragg about Lee, and the
Dutch are below at the Nore. At the office all the morning; and at noon
to the 'Change, where I met Fenn; and he tells me that Sir John Coventry
do bring the confirmation of the peace; but I do not find the 'Change at
all glad of it, but rather the worse, they looking upon it as a peace made
only to preserve the King for a time in his lusts and ease, and to
sacrifice trade and his kingdoms only to his own pleasures: so that the
hearts of merchants are quite down. He tells me that the King and my Lady
Castlemayne are quite broke off, and she is gone away, and is with child,
and swears the King shall own it; and she will have it christened in the
Chapel at White Hall so, and owned for the King's, as other Kings have
done; or she will bring it into White Hall gallery, and dash the brains of
it out before the King's face.

[Charles owned only four children by Lady Castlemaine-Anne, Countess
of Sussex, and the Dukes of Southampton, Grafton, and
Northumberland. The last of these was born in 1665. The paternity
of all her other children was certainly doubtful. See pp. 50,52.]

He tells me that the King and Court were never in the world so bad as they
are now for gaming, swearing, whoring, and drinking, and the most
abominable vices that ever were in the world; so that all must come to
nought. He told me that Sir G. Carteret was at this end of the town; so I
went to visit him in Broad Street; and there he and I together: and he is
mightily pleased with my Lady Jem's having a son; and a mighty glad man he
i