Diary, April 1668 | Page 6

that Prince Rupert and Holmes do
go to sea: and by this there is a seeming friendship and peace among
our great seamen; but the devil a bit is there any love among them, or
can be.

4th. Up betimes, and by coach towards White Hall, and took Aldgate
Street in my way, and there called upon one Hayward, that makes
virginalls, and did there like of a little espinette, and will have him
finish it for me; for I had a mind to a small harpsichon, but this takes up
less room, and will do my business as to finding out of chords, and I
am very well pleased that I have found it. Thence to White Hall, and
after long waiting did get a small running Committee of Tangier, where
I staid but little, and little done but the correcting two or three
egregious faults in the Charter for Tangier after it had so long lain
before the Council and been passed there and drawn up by the Atturney
Generall, so slightly are all things in this age done. Thence home to the
office by water, where we sat till noon, and then I moved we might go
to the Duke of York and the King presently to get out their order in
writing that was ordered us yesterday about the business of certificates,
that we might be secure against the tradesmen who (Sir John Banks by
name) have told me this day that they will complain in Parliament
against us for denying to do them right. So we rose of a sudden, being
mighty sensible of this inconvenience we are liable to should we delay
to give them longer, and yet have no order for our indemnity. I did dine
with Sir W. Pen, where my Lady Batten did come with desire of
meeting me there, and speaking with me about the business of the L500
we demand of her for the Chest. She do protest, before God, she never
did see the account, but that it was as her husband in his life-time made
it, and he did often declare to her his expecting L500, and that we could
not deny it him for his pains in that business, and that he hath left her
worth nothing of his own in the world, and that therefore she could pay
nothing of it, come what will come, but that he hath left her a beggar,
which I am sorry truly for, though it is a just judgment upon people that

do live so much beyond themselves in housekeeping and vanity, as they
did. I did give her little answer, but generally words that might not
trouble her, and so to dinner, and after dinner Sir W. Pen and I away by
water to White Hall, and there did attend the Duke of York, and he did
carry us to the King's lodgings: but he was asleep in his closet; so we
stayed in the Green-Roome, where the Duke of York did tell us what
rules he had, of knowing the weather, and did now tell us we should
have rain before to- morrow, it having been a dry season for some time,
and so it did rain all night almost; and pretty rules he hath, and told
Brouncker and me some of them, which were such as no reason seems
ready to be given. By and by the King comes out, and he did easily
agree to what we moved, and would have the Commissioners of the
Navy to meet us with him to-morrow morning: and then to talk of other
things; about the Quakers not swearing, and how they do swear in the
business of a late election of a Knight of the Shire of Hartfordshire in
behalf of one they have a mind to have; and how my Lord of Pembroke
says he hath heard him (the Quaker) at the tennis-court swear to
himself when he loses: and told us what pretty notions my Lord
Pembroke hath of the first chapter of Genesis, how Adam's sin was not
the sucking (which he did before) but the swallowing of the apple, by
which the contrary elements begun to work in him, and to stir up these
passions, and a great deal of such fooleries, which the King made
mighty mockery at. Thence my Lord Brouncker and I into the Park in
his coach, and there took a great deal of ayre, saving that it was mighty
dusty, and so a little unpleasant. Thence to Common Garden with my
Lord, and there I took a hackney and home, and after having done a
few letters at the office, I home to a little supper and so to bed, my eyes
being every day more and more weak