the peace, but they have power of commanding the pulling down of any house or houses, to defend the City. By and by comes in the Common Cryer of the City to speak with him; and when he was gone, says he, ‘You may see by this man the constitution of the Magistracy of this City; that this fellow’s place, I dare give him (if he will be true to me,) £1000 for his profits every year, and expect to get £500 more to myself thereby. When,’ says he, ‘I in myself am forced to spend many times as much’.

26th. To see some pictures at one Hiseman’s,⁴⁶ a picture-drawer, a Dutchman, which is said to exceed Lilly, and indeed there is both of the Queenes and Maids of Honour (particularly Mrs Stewart’s⁴⁷ in a buff doublet like a soldier) as good pictures I think as ever I saw. The Queene is drawn in one like a shepherdess, in the other like St Katharin, most like and most admirably. I was mightily pleased with this sight indeed. Mr Pen, Sir William’s son, is come back from France, and come to visit my wife. A most modish person grown, she says a fine gentleman.

27th. All the news this day is, that the Dutch are, with twenty-two sail of ships of warr, crewsing up and down about Ostend: at which we are alarmed. My Lord Sandwich is come back into the Downes with only eight sail, which is or may be a prey to the Dutch, if they knew our weakness and inability to set out any more speedily.

31st. Prince Rupert I hear this day is to go to command this fleet going to Guinny against the Dutch. I doubt few will be pleased with his going, being accounted an unhappy man.

September 5th. With the Duke; where all our discourse of war in the highest measure. Prince Rupert was with us; who is fitting himself to go to sea in the Heneretta. And afterwards I met him and Mr Gray, and says he, ‘I can answer but for one ship, and in that I will do my part; for it is not in that as in the army, where a man can command every thing.’

6th. This day Mr Coventry did tell us how the Duke did receive the Dutch Embassador the other day: by telling him that, whereas they think us in jest, he believes that the Prince (Rupert) which goes in this fleet to Guinny will soon tell them that we are in earnest, and that he himself will do the like here, in the head of the fleet here at home; and that he did not doubt to live to see the Dutch as fearfull of provoking the English, under the government of a King, as he remembers them to have been under that of a Coquin.

11th. With Mr Blagrave walking in the Abbey, he telling me the whole government and discipline of White Hall Chapel, and the caution now used against admitting any debauched persons.

12th. Up, and to my cosen Anthony Joyce’s, and there took leave of my aunt James, and both cosens, their wives, who are this day going down to my father’s by coach. I did give my Aunt 20s., to carry as a token to my mother, and 10s. to Poll.⁴⁸ With the Duke; and saw him with great pleasure play with his little girle, like an ordinary private father of a child.

19th. Dr Pierce tells me (when I was wondering that Fraizer should order things with the Prince in that confident manner,) that Fraizer is so great with my Lady Castlemaine, and Stewart, and all the ladies at Court, in helping to slip their calfes when there is occasion, and with the great men in curing of them, that he can do what he please with the King in spite of any man, and upon the same score with the Prince; they all having more or less occasion to make use of him.

22nd. Home to-bed; having got a strange cold in my head, by flinging off my hat⁴⁹ at dinner, and sitting with the wind in my neck.

23rd. We were told to-day of a Dutch ship of 3 or 400 tons, where all the men were dead of the plague, and the ship cast ashore at Gottenburgh.

29th. Fresh newes come of our beating the Dutch at Guinny quite out of all their castles almost, which will make them quite mad here at home sure. And Sir G. Carteret did tell me, that the King do joy mightily at it; but asked him laughing, ‘But,’ says he, ‘how shall I do to answer this to the Embassador when he