29th.  Up, and with Sir W. Batten to the Committee of Lords at the Council Chamber, where Sir G. Carteret told us what he had said to the King, and how the King inclines to our request of making us Commissioners of the Prize office, but meeting him anon in the gallery, he tells me that my Lord Barkely is angry we should not acquaint him with it, so I found out my Lord and pacified him, but I know not whether he was so in earnest or no, for he looked very frowardly.  Thence to the Parliament House, and with Sir W. Batten home and dined with him, my wife being gone to my Lady Sandwich’s, and then to the office, where we sat all the afternoon, and I at my office till past 12 at night, and so home to bed.  This day I hear that the King should say that the Dutch do begin to comply with him.  Sir John Robinson told Sir W. Batten that he heard the King say so.  I pray God it may be so.

30th.  Up, and with Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes to the Committee of the Lords, and there did our business; but, Lord! what a sorry dispatch these great persons give to business.  Thence to the ’Change, and there hear the certainty and circumstances of the Dutch having called in their fleete and paid their men half-pay, the other to be paid them upon their being ready upon beat of drum to come to serve them again, and in the meantime to have half-pay.  This is said.  Thence home to dinner, and so to my office all the afternoon.  In the evening my wife and Sir W. Warren with me to White Hall, sending her with the coach to see her father and mother.  He and I up to Sir G. Carteret, and first I alone and then both had discourse with him about things of the Navy, and so I and he calling my wife at Unthanke’s, home again, and long together talking how to order things in a new contract for Norway goods, as well to the King’s as to his advantage.  He gone, I to my monthly accounts, and, bless God!  I find I have increased my last balance, though but little; but I hope ere long to get more.  In the meantime praise God for what I have, which is L1209.  So, with my heart glad to see my accounts fall so right in this time of mixing of monies and confusion, I home to bed.

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