the good part of his Council’s advice, for the keeping up of the land-army; and, therefore, it was fit that they did present it to the King as their desire, that, as soon as peace was concluded, the land-army might be laid down, and that this their request might be carried to the King by them of their House that were Privy-councillors; which was put to the vote, and carried ’nemine contradicente’.  So after this vote passed, they adjourned:  but it is plain what the effects of this Parliament will be, if they be suffered to sit, that they will fall foul upon the faults of the Government; and I pray God they may be permitted to do it, for nothing else, I fear, will save the King and kingdom than the doing it betimes.  They gone, I to walk with my wife in the garden, and then home to supper and to bed.

26th.  Up, and betimes to the office, where Mr. Hater and I together all the morning about the perfecting of my abstract book of contracts and other things to my great content.  At noon home to dinner, and then to the office again all the afternoon doing of other good things there, and being tired, I then abroad with my wife and left her at the New Exchange, while I by water thence to Westminster to the Hall, but shops were shut up, and so to White Hall by water, and thence took up my wife at Unthanke’s, and so home, mightily tired with the dust in riding in a coach, it being mighty troublesome.  So home and to my office, and there busy very late, and then to walk a little with my wife, and then to supper and to bed.  No news at all this day what we have done to the enemy, but that the enemy is fallen down, and we after them, but to little purpose.

27th.  Up and to the office, where I hear that Sir John Coventry is come over from Bredah, a nephew, I think, of Sir W. Coventry’s:  but what message he brings I know not.  This morning news is come that Sir Jos.  Jordan is come from Harwich, with sixteen fire-ships and four other little ships of war:  and did attempt to do some execution upon the enemy, but did it without discretion, as most do say, so as that they have been able to do no good, but have lost four of their fire ships.  They attempted [this], it seems, when the wind was too strong, that our grapplings could not hold:  others say we come to leeward of them, but all condemn it as a foolish management.  They are come to Sir Edward Spragg about Lee, and the Dutch are below at the Nore.  At the office all the morning; and at noon to the ’Change, where I met Fenn; and he tells me that Sir John Coventry do bring the confirmation of the peace; but I do not find the ’Change at all glad of it, but rather the worse, they looking upon it as a peace made only to preserve the King for a time in his lusts and ease, and to sacrifice trade and his kingdoms only to his own pleasures:  so that the hearts of merchants are quite down.  He tells me that the King and my Lady Castlemayne are quite broke off, and she is gone away, and is with child, and swears the King shall own it; and she will have it christened in the Chapel at White Hall so, and owned for the King’s, as other Kings have done; or she will bring it into White Hall gallery, and dash the brains of it out before the King’s face.