[This is the Mall in St. James’s Park, which was made by Charles ii., the former Mall (Pall Mall) having been built upon during the Commonwealth.  Charles ii. also formed the canal by throwing the several small ponds into one.]

Thence to White Hall garden, where I saw the King in purple mourning for his brother.

     ["The Queen-mother of France,” says Ward, in his Diary, p. 177,
     “died at Agrippina, 1642, and her son Louis, 1643, for whom King
     Charles mourned in Oxford in purple, which is Prince’s mourning.”]

So home, and in my way met with Dinah, who spoke to me and told me she had a desire to speak too about some business when I came to Westminster again.  Which she spoke in such a manner that I was afraid she might tell me something that I would not hear of our last meeting at my house at Westminster.  Home late, being very dark.  A gentleman in the Poultry had a great and dirty fall over a waterpipe that lay along the channel.

17th.  Office very early about casting up the debts of those twenty-five ships which are to be paid off, which we are to present to the Committee of Parliament.  I did give my wife L15 this morning to go to buy mourning things for her and me, which she did.  Dined at home and Mr. Moore with me, and afterwards to Whitehall to Mr. Dalton and drank in the Cellar, where Mr. Vanly according to appointment was.  Thence forth to see the Prince de Ligne, Spanish Embassador, come in to his audience, which was done in very great state.  That being done, Dalton, Vanly, Scrivener and some friends of theirs and I to the Axe, and signed and sealed our writings, and hence to the Wine cellar again, where I received L41 for my interest in my house, out of which I paid my Landlord to Michaelmas next, and so all is even between him and me, and I freed of my poor little house.  Home by link with my money under my arm.  So to bed after I had looked over the things my wife had bought to-day, with which being not very well pleased, they costing too much, I went to bed in a discontent.  Nothing yet from sea, where my Lord and the Princess are.

18th.  At home all the morning looking over my workmen in my house.  After dinner Sir W. Batten, Pen, and myself by coach to Westminster Hall, where we met Mr. Wayte the lawyer to the Treasurer, and so we went up to the Committee of Parliament, which are to consider of the debts of the Army and Navy, and did give in our account of the twenty-five ships.  Col.  Birch was very impertinent and troublesome.  But at last we did agree to fit the accounts of our ships more perfectly for their view within a few days, that they might see what a trouble it is to do what they desire.  From thence Sir Williams both going by water home, I took Mr. Wayte to the Rhenish winehouse, and drank with him and so parted.  Thence to Mr. Crew’s and spoke with Mr. Moore about the business of paying off Baron our share of the dividend.  So on foot home, by the way buying a hat band and other things for my mourning to-morrow.  So home and to bed.  This day I heard that the Duke of York, upon the news of the death of his brother yesterday, came hither by post last night.