4th.  Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon home to dinner, where Mr. Clerke, the solicitor, dined with me and my clerks.  After dinner I carried and set him down at the Temple, he observing to me how St. Sepulchre’s church steeple is repaired already a good deal, and the Fleet Bridge is contracted for by the City to begin to be built this summer, which do please me mightily.  I to White Hall, and walked through the Park for a little ayre; and so back to the Council-chamber, to the Committee of the Navy, about the business of fitting the present fleete, suitable to the money given, which, as the King orders it, and by what appears, will be very little; and so as I perceive the Duke of York will have nothing to command, nor can intend to go abroad.  But it is pretty to see how careful these great men are to do every thing so as they may answer it to the Parliament, thinking themselves safe in nothing but where the judges, with whom they often advise, do say the matter is doubtful; and so they take upon themselves then to be the chief persons to interpret what is doubtful.  Thence home, and all the evening to set matters in order against my going to Brampton to-morrow, being resolved upon my journey, and having the Duke of York’s leave again to-day; though I do plainly see that I can very ill be spared now, there being much business, especially about this, which I have attended the Council about, and I the man that am alone consulted with; and, besides, my Lord Brouncker is at this time ill, and Sir W. Pen.  So things being put in order at the Office, I home to do the like there; and so to bed.

5th (Friday).

[The rough notes for the journal from this time to the 17th of June are contained on five leaves, inserted in the book; and after them follow several pages left blank for the fair copy which was never made.]

At Barnet, for milk, 6d.  On the highway, to menders of the highway, 6d.  Dinner at Stevenage, 5s. 6d.

6th (Saturday).  Spent at Huntingdon with Bowles, and Appleyard, and Shepley, 2s.

7th (Sunday).  My father, for money lent, and horse-hire L1 11s.

8th (Monday).  Father’s servants (father having in the garden told me bad stories of my wife’s ill words), 14s.; one that helped at the horses, 2s.; menders of the highway, 2s.  Pleasant country to Bedford, where, while they stay, I rode through the town; and a good country-town; and there, drinking, 1s.  We on to Newport; and there ’light, and I and W. Hewer to the Church, and there give the boy 1s.  So to Buckingham, a good old town.  Here I to see the Church, which very good, and the leads, and a school in it:  did give the sexton’s boy 1s.  A fair bridge here, with many arches:  vexed at my people’s making me lose so much time; reckoning, 13s. 4d.  Mighty pleased with the pleasure of the ground all the day.  At night to Newport Pagnell; and there a good pleasant country-town, but