ractice, and every where else; though, he tells
me, he despairs of being able to do what ought to be done for the saving
of the kingdom, which I tell him, as indeed all the world is almost in
hopes of, upon the proceeding of these gentlemen for the regulating of
the Treasury, it being so late, and our poverty grown so great, that
they want where to set their feet, to begin to do any thing. He tells me
how weary he hath for this year and a half been of the war; and how in
the Duke of York's bedchamber, at Christ Church, at Oxford, when the
Court was there, he did labour to persuade the Duke to fling off the
care of the Navy, and get it committed to other hands; which, if he had
done, would have been much to his honour, being just come home with so
much honour from sea as he did. I took notice of the sharp letter he
wrote, which he sent us to read yesterday, to Sir Edward Spragg, where
he is very plain about his leaving his charge of the ships at Gravesend,
when the enemy come last up, and several other things: a copy whereof
I have kept. But it is done like a most worthy man; and he says it is
good, now and then, to tell these gentlemen their duties, for they need
it. And it seems, as he tells me, all our Knights are fallen out one
with another, he, and Jenings, and Hollis, and (his words were) they
are disputing which is the coward among them; and yet men that take the
greatest liberty of censuring others! Here, with him, very late, till I
could hardly get a coach or link willing to go through the ruines; but I
do, but will not do it again, being, indeed, very dangerous. So home
and to supper, and bed, my head most full of an answer I have drawn
this noon to the Committee of the Council to whom Carcasses business is
referred to be examined again.

10th. Up, and to the Office, and there finished the letter about
Carcasse, and sent it away, I think well writ, though it troubles me we
should be put to trouble by this rogue so much. At the office all the
morning, and at noon home to dinner, where I sang and piped with my
wife with great pleasure, and did hire a coach to carry us to Barnett
to-morrow. After dinner I to the office, and there wrote as long as my
eyes would give me leave, and then abroad and to the New Exchange,
to the bookseller's there, where I hear of several new books coming
out--Mr. Spratt's History of the Royal Society, and Mrs. Phillips's'
poems. Sir John Denham's poems are going to be all printed togethe