his business.  Thence after some discourse with Sir G. Carteret, who, though he tells me that he is glad of my Lord’s being made Embassador, and that it is the greatest courtesy his enemies could do him; yet I find he is not heartily merry upon it, and that it was no design of my Lord’s friends, but the prevalence of his enemies, and that the Duke of Albemarle and Prince Rupert are like to go to sea together the next year.  I pray God, when my Lord is gone, they do not fall hard upon the Vice-Chamberlain, being alone, and in so envious a place, though by this late Act and the instructions now a brewing for our office as to method of payments will destroy the profit of his place of itself without more trouble.  Thence by water down to Greenwich, and there found all my company come; that is, Mrs. Knipp, and an ill, melancholy, jealous-looking fellow, her husband, that spoke not a word to us all the night, Pierce and his wife, and Rolt, Mrs. Worshipp and her daughter, Coleman and his wife, and Laneare, and, to make us perfectly happy, there comes by chance to towne Mr. Hill to see us.  Most excellent musique we had in abundance, and a good supper, dancing, and a pleasant scene of Mrs. Knipp’s rising sicke from table, but whispered me it was for some hard word or other her husband gave her just now when she laughed and was more merry than ordinary.  But we got her in humour again, and mighty merry; spending the night, till two in the morning, with most complete content as ever in my life, it being increased by my day’s work with Gawden.  Then broke up, and we to bed, Mr. Hill and I, whom I love more and more, and he us.

9th.  Called up betimes by my Lord Bruncker, who is come to towne from his long water worke at Erith last night, to go with him to the Duke of Albemarle, which by his coach I did.  Our discourse upon the ill posture of the times through lacke of money.  At the Duke’s did some business, and I believe he was not pleased to see all the Duke’s discourse and applications to me and everybody else.  Discoursed also with Sir G. Carteret about office business, but no money in view.  Here my Lord and I staid and dined, the Vice-Chamberlain taking his leave.  At table the Duchesse, a damned ill-looked woman, complaining of her Lord’s going to sea the next year, said these cursed words:  “If my Lord had been a coward he had gone to sea no more:  it may be then he might have been excused, and made an Embassador” (meaning my Lord Sandwich).

[When Lord Sandwich was away a new commander had to be chosen, and rank and long service pointed out Prince Rupert for the office, it having been decided that the heir presumptive should be kept at home.  It was thought, however, that the same confidence could not be placed in the prince’s discretion as in his courage, and therefore the Duke of Albemarle was induced to take a joint command with him, “and so make one admiral of two persons” (see Lister’s “Life of Clarendon,” vol. ii., pp.