4th (Lord’s day).  Up, and to church, where Alderman Backewell’s wife, by my invitation with my head, come up with her mother, and sat with us, and after sermon I did walk with them home, and there left them, and home to dinner, and after dinner with Sir J. Minnes and T. Middleton to White Hall, by appointment; and at my Lord Arlington’s the Office did attend the King and Cabal, to discourse the further quantity of victuals fit to be declared for, which was 2,000 men for six months; and so without more ado or stay, there, hearing no news but that Sir Thomas Allen is to be expected every hour at home with his fleete, or news of his being gone back to Algier, and so home, where got my wife to read to me; and so after supper to bed.  The Queen-Mother hath been of late mighty ill, and some fears of her death.

5th.  Up, and by coach, it being very cold, to White Hall, expecting a meeting of Tangier, but it did not.  But, however, did wait there all the morning, and, among other things, I spent a little time with Creed walking in the garden, and talking about our Office, and Child’s coming in to be a Commissioner; and, being his friend, I did think he might do me a kindness to learn of him what the Duke of Buckingham and the faction do design touching me, and to instil good words concerning me, which he says, and I believe he will:  and it is but necessary; for I have not a mind indeed at this time to be put out of my Office, if I can make any shift that is honourable to keep it; but I will not do it by deserting the Duke of York.  At noon by appointment comes Mr. Sheres, and he and I to Unthanke’s, where my wife stays for us in our coach, and Betty Turner with her; and we to the Mulberry Garden, where Sheres is to treat us with a Spanish Olio,

     [An olio is a mixed dish of meat and vegetables, and, secondarily,
     mixture or medley.]

by a cook of his acquaintance that is there, that was with my Lord in Spain:  and without any other company, he did do it, and mighty nobly; and the Olio was indeed a very noble dish, such as I never saw better, or any more of.  This, and the discourse he did give us of Spain, and description of the Escuriall, was a fine treat.  So we left other good things, that would keep till night, for a collation; and, with much content, took coach again, and went five or six miles towards Branford, the Prince of Tuscany, who comes into England only to spend money and see our country, comes into the town to-day, and is much expected; and we met him, but the coach passing by apace, we could not see much of him but he seems a very jolly and good comely man.  By the way, we overtook Captain Ferrers upon his fine Spanish horse, and he is a fine horse indeed; but not so good, I think, as I have seen some.  He did ride by us most of the way, and with us to the Park, and there left us, where we passed the evening, and meeting The.  Turner, Talbot, W. Batelier, and his sister, in a coach, we anon took them with us to the Mulberry