and then back, and I home, and after a little at my office home to my new closet, and there did much business on my Tangier account and my Journall for three days.  So to supper and to bed.  We are not sure that the Dutch fleete is out.  I have another memento from Sir W. Coventry of the want of provisions in the fleete, which troubles me, though there is no reason for it; but will have the good effect of making me more wary.  So, full of thoughts, to bed.

28th.  Up, and in my new closet a good while doing business.  Then called on Mrs. Martin and Burroughs of Westminster about business of the former’s husband.  Which done, I to the office, where we sat all the morning.  At noon I, with my wife and Mercer, to Philpott Lane, a great cook’s shop, to the wedding of Mr. Longracke, our purveyor, a good, sober, civil man, and hath married a sober, serious mayde.  Here I met much ordinary company, I going thither at his great request; but there was Mr. Madden and his lady, a fine, noble, pretty lady, and he, and a fine gentleman seems to be.  We four were most together; but the whole company was very simple and innocent.  A good-dinner, and, what was best, good musique.  After dinner the young women went to dance; among others Mr. Christopher Pett his daughter, who is a very pretty, modest girle, I am mightily taken with her; and that being done about five o’clock, home, very well pleased with the afternoon’s work.  And so we broke up mightily civilly, the bride and bridegroom going to Greenwich (they keeping their dinner here only for my sake) to lie, and we home, where I to the office, and anon am on a sudden called to meet Sir W. Pen and Sir W. Coventry at the Victualling Office, which did put me out of order to be so surprised.  But I went, and there Sir William Coventry did read me a letter from the Generalls to the King,

[The letter from Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albemarle to the king (dated August 27th, from the “Royal Charles,” Sole Bay) is among the State Papers.  The generals complain of the want of supplies, in spite of repeated importunities.  The demands are answered by accounts from Mr. Pepys of what has been sent to the fleet, which will not satisfy the ships, unless the provisions could be found “. . .  Have not a month’s provision of beer, yet Sir Wm. Coventry assures the ministers that they are supplied till Oct. 3; unless this is quickened they will have to return home too soon . . . .  Want provisions according to their own computation, not Sir Wm. Coventry’s, to last to the end of October” ("Calendar,” 1666-67, p. 71).]

a most scurvy letter, reflecting most upon Sir W. Coventry, and then upon me for my accounts (not that they are not true, but that we do not consider the expence of the fleete), and then of the whole office, in neglecting them and the King’s service, and this in very plain and sharp and menacing terms.  I did give a good account of matters according to