of Buckingham, he retired into the country, nor could he subsequently be prevailed upon to accept of any official employment.  Burnet calls Sir William Coventry the best speaker in the House of Commons, and “a man of the finest and best temper that belonged to the court,” and Pepys never omits an opportunity of paying a tribute to his public and private worth.  He died, 1686, of gout in the stomach.]

and I, spent an hour at allotting to every ship their service, in their return to England; which having done, they went to dinner, where the table was very full:  the two Dukes at the upper end, my Lord Opdam next on one side, and my Lord on the other.  Two guns given to every man while he was drinking the King’s health, and so likewise to the Duke’s health.  I took down Monsieur d’Esquier to the great cabin below, and dined with him in state alone with only one or two friends of his.  All dinner the harper belonging to Captain Sparling played to the Dukes.  After dinner, the Dukes and my Lord to see the Vice and Rear-Admirals; and I in a boat after them.  After that done, they made to the shore in the Dutch boat that brought them, and I got into the boat with them; but the shore was so full of people to expect their coming, as that it was as black (which otherwise is white sand), as every one could stand by another.  When we came near the shore, my Lord left them and came into his own boat, and General Pen and I with him; my Lord being very well pleased with this day’s work.  By the time we came on board again, news is sent us that the King is on shore; so my Lord fired all his guns round twice, and all the fleet after him, which in the end fell into disorder, which seemed very handsome.  The gun over against my cabin I fired myself to the King, which was the first time that he had been saluted by his own ships since this change; but holding my head too much over the gun, I had almost spoiled my right eye.  Nothing in the world but going of guns almost all this day.  In the evening we began to remove cabins; I to the carpenter’s cabin, and Dr. Clerke with me, who came on board this afternoon, having been twice ducked in the sea to-day coming from shore, and Mr. North and John Pickering the like.  Many of the King’s servants came on board to-night; and so many Dutch of all sorts came to see the ship till it was quite dark, that we could not pass by one another, which was a great trouble to us all.  This afternoon Mr. Downing (who was knighted yesterday by the King’) was here on board, and had a ship for his passage into England, with his lady and servants.

["About midnight arrived there Mr. Downing, who did the affairs of England to the Lords the Estates, in quality of Resident under Oliver Cromwell, and afterward under the pretended Parliament, which having changed the form of the government, after having cast forth the last Protector, had continued him in his imploiment, under the quality of Extraordinary Envoy.  He began to have respect