a letter from my Lord to set upon the business, and so there I
sat with the officers all the morning. At noon when we were up comes
Mr. Wade with my Lord's letter, and tells me the whole business. So we
consulted for me to go first to Sir H. Bennet, who is now with many of
the Privy Counsellors at the Tower, examining of their late prisoners,
to advise with him when to begin. So I went; and the guard at the Tower
Gate, making me leave my sword at the gate, I was forced to stay so long
in the ale-house hard by, till my boy run home for my cloak, that my
Lord Mayor that now is, Sir John Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, with
all his company, was gone with their coaches to his house in Minchen
Lane. So my cloak being come, I walked thither; and there, by Sir G.
Carteret's means, did presently speak with Sir H. Bennet, who did show
and give me the King's warrant to me and Mr. Leigh, and another to
himself, for the paying of L2,000 to my Lord, and other two to the
discoverers. After a little discourse, dinner come in; and I dined with
them. There was my Lord Mayor, my Lord Lauderdale, Mr. Secretary Morris,
to whom Sir H. Bennet would give the upper hand; Sir Wm. Compton, Sir G.
Carteret, and myself, and some other company, and a brave dinner. After
dinner, Sir H. Bennet did call aside the Lord Mayor and me, and did
break the business to him, who did not, nor durst appear the least
averse to it, but did promise all assistance forthwith to set upon it.
So Mr. Lee and I to our office, and there walked till Mr. Wade and
one Evett his guide did come, and W. Griffin, and a porter with his
picke-axes, &c.; and so they walked along with us to the Tower, and Sir
H. Bennet and my Lord Mayor did give us full power to fall to work.
So our guide demands, a candle, and down into the cellars he goes,
inquiring whether they were the same that Baxter

[Intended for John Barkstead, Lieutenant of the Tower under
Cromwell. Committed to the Tower (see March 17th, 1661-62).]

always had. We went into several little cellars, and then went out
a-doors to view, and to the Cole Harbour; but none did answer so well to
the marks which was given him to find it by, as one arched vault. Where,
after a great deal of council whether to set upon it now, or delay for
better and more full advice, we set to it, to digging we went to almost
eight o'clock at night, but could find nothing. But, however, our guides
did not at all seem discouraged; for t