Diary, June 1667 | Page 6

keeping a
coach; but yet, when I think on it again, the Dutch and French both at
sea, and we poor, and still out of order, I know not yet what turns there
may be, and besides, I am in danger of parting with one of my places,
which relates to the Victualling, that brings me by accident in L800 a
year, that is, L300 from the King and L500 from D. Gawden. I ought to

be well contented to forbear awhile, and therefore I am contented. To
the office all the afternoon, where I dispatched much business to my
great content, and then home in the evening, and there to sing and pipe
with my wife, and that being done, she fell all of a sudden to discourse
about her clothes and my humours in not suffering her to wear them as
she pleases, and grew to high words between us, but I fell to read a
book (Boyle's Hydrostatiques)
["Hydrostatical Paradoxes made out by New Experiments" was
published by the Hon. Robert Boyle in 1666 (Oxford).]
aloud in my chamber and let her talk, till she was tired and vexed that I
would not hear her, and so become friends, and to bed together the first
night after 4 or 5 that she hath lain from me by reason of a great cold
she had got.

5th. Up, and with Mr. Kenasteri by coach to White Hall to the
Commissioners of the Treasury about getting money for Tangier, and
did come to, after long waiting, speak with them, and there I find them
all sat; and, among the rest, Duncomb lolling, with his heels upon
another chair, by that, that he sat upon, and had an answer good enough,
and then away home, and (it being a most windy day, and hath been so
all night, South West, and we have great hopes that it may have done
the Dutch or French fleets some hurt) having got some papers in order,
I back to St. James's, where we all met at Sir W. Coventry's chamber,
and dined and talked of our business, he being a most excellent man,
and indeed, with all his business, hath more of his employed upon the
good of the service of the Navy, than all of us, that makes me ashamed
of it. This noon Captain Perriman brings us word how the Happy
Returne's' [crew] below in the Hope, ordered to carry the Portugal
Embassador to Holland (and the Embassador, I think, on board), refuse
to go till paid; and by their example two or three more ships are in a
mutiny: which is a sad consideration, while so many of the enemy's
ships are at this day triumphing in the sea. Here a very good and neat
dinner, after the French manner, and good discourse, and then up after
dinner to the Duke of York and did our usual business, and are put in

hopes by Sir W. Coventry that we shall have money, and so away, Sir
G. Carteret and I to my Lord Crew to advise about Sir G. Carteret's
carrying his accounts to- morrow to the Commissioners appointed to
examine them and all other accounts since the war, who at last by the
King's calling them to him yesterday and chiding them will sit, but
Littleton and Garraway much against their wills. The truth of it is, it is
a ridiculous thing, for it will come to nothing, nor do the King nor
kingdom good in any manner, I think. Here they talked of my Lord
Hinchingbroke's match with Lord Burlington's daughter, which is now
gone a pretty way forward, and to great content, which I am infinitely
glad of. So from hence to White Hall, and in the streete Sir G. Carteret
showed me a gentleman coming by in his coach, who hath been sent for
up out of Lincolneshire, I think he says he is a justice of peace there,
that the Council have laid by the heels here, and here lies in a
messenger's hands, for saying that a man and his wife are but one
person, and so ought to pay but 12d. for both to the Poll Bill; by which
others were led to do the like: and so here he lies prisoner. To White
Hall, and there I attended to speak with Sir W. Coventry about
Lanyon's business, to get him some money out of the Prize Office from
my Lord Ashly, and so home, and there to the office a little, and thence
to my chamber to read, and supper, and to bed. My father, blessed be
God! finds great ease by his new steel trusse, which he put on yesterday.
So to bed. The Duke of Cambridge past hopes of living still.