25th.  To the office, where Sir W. Batten, Colonel Slingsby, and I sat awhile, and Sir R. Ford

     [Sir Richard Ford was one of the commissioners sent to Breda to
     desire Charles ii. to return to England immediately.]

coming to us about some business, we talked together of the interest of this kingdom to have a peace with Spain and a war with France and Holland; where Sir R. Ford talked like a man of great reason and experience.  And afterwards I did send for a cup of tee’

[That excellent and by all Physicians, approved, China drink, called by the Chineans Tcha, by other nations Tay alias Tee, is sold at the Sultaness Head Coffee-House, in Sweetings Rents, by the “Royal Exchange, London.”  “Coffee, chocolate, and a kind of drink called tee, sold in almost every street in 1659.”—­Rugge’s Diurnal.  It is stated in “Boyne’s Trade Tokens,” ed.  Williamson, vol. i., 1889, p. 593 “that the word tea occurs on no other tokens than those issued from ‘the Great Turk’ (Morat ye Great) coffeehouse in Exchange Alley.  The Dutch East India Company introduced tea into Europe in 1610, and it is said to have been first imported into England from Holland about 1650.  The English “East India Company” purchased and presented 2 lbs. of tea to Charles ii. in 1660, and 23 lbs. in 1666.  The first order for its importation by the company was in 1668, and the first consignment of it, amounting to 143 lbs., was received from Bantam in 1669 (see Sir George Birdwood’s “Report on the Old Records at the India Office,” 1890, p. 26).  By act 12 Car.  II., capp. 23, 24, a duty of 8d. per gallon was imposed upon the infusion of tea, as well as on chocolate and sherbet.]

(a China drink) of which I never had drank before, and went away.  Then came Col.  Birch and Sir R. Browne by a former appointment, and with them from Tower wharf in the barge belonging to our office we went to Deptford to pay off the ship Success, which (Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Pen coming afterwards to us) we did, Col.  Birch being a mighty busy man and one that is the most indefatigable and forward to make himself work of any man that ever I knew in my life.  At the Globe we had a very good dinner, and after that to the pay again, which being finished we returned by water again, and I from our office with Col.  Slingsby by coach to Westminster (I setting him down at his lodgings by the way) to inquire for my Lord’s coming thither (the King and the Princess

["The Princess Royall came from Gravesend to Whitehall by water, attended by a noble retinue of about one hundred persons, gentry, and servants, and tradesmen, and tirewomen, and others, that took that opportunity to advance their fortunes, by coming in with so excellent a Princess as without question she is."-Rugge’s Diurnal.  A broadside, entitled “Ourania, the High and Mighty Lady the Princess Royal of Aurange, congratulated on her most happy arrival, September the 25th, 1660,” was printed on the 29th.]

coming up the river this afternoon as we were at our pay), and I found him gone to Mr. Crew’s, where I found him well, only had got some corns upon his foot which was not well yet.  My Lord told me how the ship that brought the Princess and him (The Tredagh) did knock six times upon the Kentish Knock,