Diary, February 1666/67 | Page 5

what might in discourse fall out touching my
imployment, and did give me some apprehension of trouble. Having
done here, and after our laying our necessities for money open to the
Duke of York, but nothing obtained concerning it, we parted, and I
with others into the House, and there hear that the work is done to the
Prince in a few minutes without any pain at all to him, he not knowing
when it was done. It was performed by Moulins. Having cut the
outward table, as they call it, they find the inner all corrupted, so as it
come out without any force; and their fear is, that the whole inside of
his head is corrupted like that, which do yet make them afeard of him;
but no ill accident appeared in the doing of the thing, but all with all
imaginable success, as Sir Alexander Frazier did tell me himself, I
asking him, who is very kind to me. I to the Chapel a little, but hearing
nothing did take a turn into the Park, and then back to Chapel and heard
a very good Anthem to my heart's delight, and then to Sir G. Carteret's
to dinner, and before dinner did walk with him alone a good while, and

from him hear our case likely for all these acts to be bad for money,
which troubles me, the year speeding so fast, and he tells me that he
believes 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
that the world do not grow old at all, but is in as good condition in all
respects as ever it was as to nature. I continued reading this book with
great pleasure till supper, and then to bed sooner than ordinary, for
rising betimes in the morning to-morrow. So after reading my usual
vows to bed, my mind full of trouble against to-morrow, and did not
sleep any good time of the night for thoughts of to-morrow morning's
trouble.

4th. I up, with my head troubled to think of the issue of this morning,
so made ready and to the office, where