she and The. gone to church, but I left my wife with
Mrs. Dyke and Joyce Norton, whom I have not seen till
now since their coming to town: she is become
an old woman, and with as cunning a look as ever,
and thence I to White Hall, and there walked up and
down till the King and Duke of York were ready to
go forth; and here I met Will. Batelier, newly
come post from France, his boots all dirty. He
brought letters to the King, and I glad to see him,
it having been reported that he was drowned, for some
days past, and then, he being gone, I to talk with
Tom Killigrew, who told me and others, talking about
the playhouse, that he is fain to keep a woman on
purpose at 20s. a week to satisfy 8 or 10 of the young
men of his house, whom till he did so he could never
keep to their business, and now he do. By and
by the King comes out, and so I took coach, and followed
his coaches to my Lord Keeper’s, at Essex House,
where I never was before, since I saw my old Lord
Essex lie in state when he was dead; a large, but ugly
house. Here all the Officers of the Navy attended,
and by and by were called in to the King and Cabinet,
where my Lord, who was ill, did lie upon the bed, as
my old Lord Treasurer, or Chancellor, heretofore used
to; and the business was to know in what time all
the King’s ships might be repaired, fit for
service. The Surveyor answered, in two years,
and not sooner. I did give them hopes that, with
supplies of money suitable, we might have them all
fit for sea some part of the summer after this.
Then they demanded in what time we could set out
forty ships. It was answered, as they might be
chosen of the newest and most ready, we could, with
money, get forty ready against May. The King
seemed mighty full that we should have money to do
all that we desired, and satisfied that, without it,
nothing could be done: and so, without determining
any thing, we were dismissed; and I doubt all will
end in some little fleete this year, and those of hired
merchant-men, which would indeed be cheaper to the
King, and have many conveniences attending it, more
than to fit out the King’s own; and this, I
perceive, is designed, springing from Sir W. Coventry’s
counsel; and the King and most of the Lords, I perceive,
full of it, to get the King’s fleete all at
once in condition for service. Thence I with
Mr. Wren in his coach to my cozen Turner’s for
discourse sake, and in our way he told me how the
business of the Parliament is wholly laid aside, it
being overruled now, that they shall not meet, but
must be prorogued, upon this argument chiefly, that
all the differences between the two Houses, and things
on foot, that were matters of difference and discontent,
may be laid aside, and must begin again, if ever the
House shall have a mind to pursue them. They
must begin all anew. Here he set me down, and
I to my cozen Turner, and stayed and talked a little;
and so took my wife, and home, and there to make her
read, and then to supper, and to bed. At supper
come W. Batelier and supped with us, and told us many
pretty things of France, and the greatness of the
present King.