which was a service I did, but much against my will,
for a lazy, fat priest. Thence to Westminster
Hall, and there walked a turn or two with Sir William
Doyly, who did lay a wager with me, the Treasurership
would be in one hand, notwithstanding this present
Commission, before Christmas: on which we did
lay a poll of ling, a brace of carps, and a pottle
of wine; and Sir W. Pen and Mr. Scowen to be at the
eating of them. Thence down by water to Deptford,
it being Trinity Monday, when the Master is chosen,
and there, finding them all at church, and thinking
they dined, as usual, at Stepny, I turned back, having
a good book in my hand, the Life of Cardinal Wolsey,
wrote by his own servant, and to Ratcliffe; and so
walked to Stepny, and spent, my time in the churchyard,
looking over the gravestones, expecting when the company
would come by. Finding no company stirring,
I sent to the house to see; and, it seems, they dine
not there, but at Deptford: so I back again to
Deptford, and there find them just sat down.
And so I down with them; and we had a good dinner
of plain meat, and good company at our table:
among others, my good Mr. Evelyn, with whom, after
dinner, I stepped aside, and talked upon the present
posture of our affairs; which is, that the Dutch are
known to be abroad with eighty sail of ships of war,
and twenty fire-ships; and the French come into the
Channell with twenty sail of men-of-war, and five fireships,
while we have not a ship at sea to do them any hurt
with; but are calling in all we can, while our Embassadors
are treating at Bredah; and the Dutch look upon them
as come to beg peace, and use them accordingly; and
all this through the negligence of our Prince, who
hath power, if he would, to master all these with
the money and men that he hath had the command of,
and may now have, if he would mind his business.
But, for aught we see, the Kingdom is likely to be
lost, as well as the reputation of it is, for ever;
notwithstanding so much reputation got and preserved
by a rebel that went before him. This discourse
of ours ended with sorrowful reflections upon our
condition, and so broke up, and Creed and I got out
of the room, and away by water to White Hall, and
there he and I waited in the Treasury-chamber an hour
or two, where we saw the Country Receivers and Accountants
for money come to attend; and one of them, a brisk
young fellow, with his hat cocked like a fool behind,
as the present fashion among the blades is, committed
to the Serjeant. By and by, I, upon desire,
was called in, and delivered in my report of my Accounts.
Present, Lord Ashly, Clifford, and Duncomb, who, being
busy, did not read it; but committed it to Sir George
Downing, and so I was dismissed; but, Lord! to see
how Duncomb do take upon him is an eyesore, though
I think he deserves great honour, but only the suddenness
of his rise, and his pride. But I do like the
way of these lords, that they admit nobody to use
many words, nor do they spend many words themselves,