years’ time in England, so after thirty-five years’ time, which was within this two years, there ought in proportion to have resting £6,111,120 or thereabouts, besides King James and Queene Elizabeth’s money Now, that most of this must be hid is evident, as they reckon, because of the dearth of money immediately upon the calling-in of the State’s money, which was £500,000 that come in, and then there was not any money to be had in this City, which they say to their own observation and knowledge was so And therefore, though I can say nothing in it myself, I do not dispute it.

23rd To White Hall, where, in the Matted Gallery, Mr Coventry was, who told us how the Parliament have required of Sir G Carteret and him an account what money shall be necessary to be settled upon the Navy for the ordinary charge, which they intend to report £200,000 per annum And how to allott this we met this afternoon, and took their papers for our perusal, and so parted.

24th Meeting Mr Lewis Phillips of Brampton, he and afterwards others tell me that news come last night to Court, that the King of France is sick of the spotted fever, and that they are struck in again, and this afternoon my Lord Mandeville is gone from the King to make him a visit which will be great news, and of great import through Europe By and by, in comes my Lord Sandwich he told me this day a vote hath passed that the King’s grants of land to my Lord Monk and him should be made good, which pleases him very much. He also tells me that things do not go right in the House with Mr Coventry, I suppose he means in the business of selling places, but I am sorry for it.

27th With Pett to my Lord Ashley, Chancellor of the Exchequer, where we met the auditors about settling the business of the accounts of persons to whom money is due before the King’s time in the Navy, and the clearing of their imprests for what little of their debts they have received I find my Lord, as he is reported, a very ready, quiet, and diligent person Roger Pepys tells me that the King hath sent to the Parliament to hasten to make an end by midsummer, because of his going into the country, so they have set upon four bills to dispatch the first of which is, he says, too devilish a severe act against conventicles, so beyond all moderation, that he is afraid it will ruin all telling me that it is matter of the greatest grief to him in the world, that he should be put upon this trust of being a Parliamentman, because he says nothing is done, that he can see, out of any truth and sincerity, but mere envy and design Then into the Great Garden up to the Banqueting House, and there by my Lord’s glass we drew in the species³⁴ very pretty Afterwards to nine-pins, Creed and I playing against my Lord and Cooke.

28th By water to the Royal Theatre, but that was so full they told us we could have no room And so to the Duke’s house, and there saw Hamlett done, giving us fresh reason never to think enough of Betterton Who should we see come upon the stage but Gosnell, my wife’s maid? but neither spoke, danced, nor sung, which I was sorry for.

29th This day is kept strictly as a holy-day, being the King’s Coronation Creed and I abroad, and called at several churches, and it is a wonder to see, and by that to guess the ill temper of the City, at this time, either to religion in general, or to the King, that in some churches there was hardly ten people, and those poor people To the Duke’s house, and there saw The Slighted Mayde,³⁵ wherein Gosnell acted Aeromena, a great part, and did it very well Then with Creed to see the German Princesse,³⁶ at the Gate-house, at Westminster.

31st This month the greatest news is, the height and heat that the Parliament is in, in enquiring into the revenue, which displeases the Court, and their backwardness to give the King any money.Their enquiring into the selling of places do trouble a great many, among the chief, my Lord Chancellor (against whom particularly it is carned), and Mr Coventry, for which I am sorry The King of France was given out to be poisoned and dead, but it proves to be the meazles and he is well, or likely to be soon well again I find myself growing in the esteem and credit that I have in the office, and I hope falling to my business again will confirm me in it.

June 1st The Duke having been a-hunting to-day, and so lately come home and gone to bed, we could not see him, and we walked away And I with Sir J Minnes to the Strand Maypole, and there light out