13th. To my office, and there this afternoon we had our first meeting upon our commission of inspecting the Chest. Sir Francis Clerke,⁶⁴ Mr Heath, Atturney of the Dutchy, Mr Prinn, Sir W. Rider, Captn. Cooke, and myself. Our first work was to read over the Institution, which is a decree in Chancery in the year 1617, upon an inquisition made at Rochester about that time into the revenues of the Chest, which had then, from the year 1588 or 1590, by the advice of the Lord High Admiral and principal officers then being, by consent of the seamen, been settled, paying sixpence per month, according to their wages then, which was then but 10s. which is now 24s.

17th. To the Duke’s today, but he is gone a-hunting. At White Hall by appointment, Mr Creed carried my wife and I to the Cockpitt, and we had excellent places, and saw the King, Queene, Duke of Monmouth, his son, and my Lady Castlemaine, and all the fine ladies; and The Scornfull Lady, well performed. They had done by eleven o’clock, and it being fine moonshine, we took coach and home.

18th. Late at my office, drawing up a letter to my Lord Treasurer, which we have been long about.

20th. After dinner to the Temple, to Mr Thurland;⁶⁵ and thence to my Lord Chief Baron, Sir Edward Hale’s,⁶⁶ and take Mr Thurland to his chamber, where he told us that Field will have the better of us; and that we must study to make up the business as well as we can, which do much vex and trouble us: but I am glad the Duke is concerned in it.

21st. This day come the King’s pleasure-boats from Calais, with the Dunkirke money, being 400,000 pistolles.

22nd. November This day Mr Moore told me, that for certain the Queene-Mother is married to my Lord St Albans, and he is like to be made Lord Treasurer. News that Sir J. Lawson hath made up a peace now with Tunis and Tripoli, as well as Argiers, by which he will come home very highly honoured.

23rd. I hear today old rich Audley⁶⁷ is lately dead, and left a very great estate, and made a great many poor familys rich, not all to one. Among others, one Davis, my old schoolfellow at Paul’s, and since a book-seller in Paul’s Church Yard: and it seems do forgive one man £6000 which he had wronged him of, but names not his name; but it is well known to be the scrivener in Fleete-streete, at whose house he lodged. There is also this week dead a poulterer, in Gracious-street, which was thought rich, but not so rich, that hath left £800 per annum, taken in other men’s names, and 40,000 Jacobs in gold.

24th. Sir J. Minnes, Sir W. Batten, and I, going forth toward White Hall, we hear that the King and Duke are come this morning to the Tower to see the Dunkirke money. So we by coach to them, and there went up and down all the magazines with them; but methought it was but poor discourse and frothy that the King’s companions (young Killigrew among the rest,) had with him. We saw none of the money, but Mr Slingsby did show the King, and I did see, the stamps of the new money that is now to be made by Blondeau’s fashion, which are very neat, and like the King. Thence the King to Woolwich, though a very cold day; and the Duke to White Hall, commanding us to come after him; and in his closet, my Lord Sandwich being there, did discourse with us about getting some of this money to pay off the Fleets, and other matters.

25th. Great talk among people how some of the Fanatiques do say that the end of the world is at hand, and that next Tuesday is to be the day. Against which, whenever it shall be, good God fit us all.

27th. At my waking, I found the tops of the houses covered with snow, which is a rare sight, which I have not seen these three years. To the office, where we sat till noon; when we all went to the next house upon Tower Hill, to see the coming by of the Russian Embassador; for whose reception all the City trained-bands do attend in the streets, and the King’s life-guards, and most of the wealthy citizens in their black velvet coats, and gold chains, (which remain of their gallantry at the King’s coming in,) but they staid so long that we went down again to dinner. And after I had dined I walked to the Conduit in the Quarrefowr, at the end of Gracious-street and Cornhill; and there (the spouts thereof running very near me upon all the people that were under it) I saw them pretty well go by. I could not see the Embassador