continues very ill of his cold。 And there came in Sir H。 Yelverton； and Sir H。 Cholmly commended to me his acquaintance； which the other received； but without remembering to me； or I him； of our being school…fellows together； and I said nothing of it。 But he took notice of my speech the other day at the bar of the House； and indeed I perceive he is a wise men。 Here he do say that the town is full of it； that now the Parliament hath resolved upon 300；000l。； the King instead of fifty will set out but twenty…five ships； and the Dutch as many； and that Smith is to command them； who is allowed to have the better of Holmes in the late dispute； and is in good esteem in the Parliament above the other； Thence home； and there in favour to my eyes staid at home reading the ridiculous History of my Lord Newcastle； wrote by his wife； which shows her to be a mad； conceited； ridiculous woman； and he an asse to suffer her to write what she writes to him and of him。 So to bed； my eyes being very bad； and I know not how in the world to abstain from reading。
19th。 Walked all along Thames…street； which I have not done since it was burned； as far as Billingsgate； and there do see a brave street likely to be； many brave houses being built； and of them a great many by Mr。 Jaggard； but the raising of the street will make it mighty fine。
20th。 All the evening pricking down some things and trying some conclusions upon my viall； in order to the inventing a better theory of musique than hath yet been abroad； and I think verily I shall do it。 This day at Court I do hear that Sir W。 Pen do command this summer's fleet； and Mr。 Progers of the Bedchamber as a secret told me that the Prince Rupert is troubled at it； and several friends of his have been with him to know the reason of it； so that he do pity Sir W。 Pen； whom he hath a great kindness for； that he should not at any desire of his be put to this service； and thereby make the Prince his enemy and contract more envy from other people。
24th。 From the Duke's chamber Sir W。 Coventry and I to walk in the Mattted Gallery； and there； among other things； he tells me of the wicked design that now is at last contriving against him； to get a petition presented from people； that the money they have paid to Sir W。 Coventry for their places may be repaid them back： and that this is set on by Temple and Hollis of the Parliament； and； among other mean people in it； by Captain Tatnell： and he prays me that I will use some effectual way to sift Tatnell what he do and who puts him on in this business： which I do undertake； and will do with all my skill for his service； being troubled that he is still under this difficulty。 Thence back to White Hall： where great talk of the tumult at the other end of the town； about Moore…fields； among the prentices taking the liberty of these holydays to pull down brothels。 And Lord！ to see the apprehensions which this did give to all people at Court； that presently order was given for all the soldiers； horse and foot； to be in armes； and forthwith alarmes were beat by drum and trumpet through Westminster and all to their colours and to horse； as if the French were coming into the town。 So Creed； whom I met here； and I to Lincolne's Inn…fields； thinking to have come into the fields to have seen the prentices； but here we found these fields full of soldiers all in a body； and my Lord Craven commanding of them； and riding up and down to give orders like a madman。 And some young men we saw brought by soldiers to the guard at White Hall； and overheard others that stood by say that it was only for pulling down the brothels； and none of the bystanders finding fault with them； but rather of the soldiers for hindering them。 And we heard a Justice of Peace this morning say to the King； that he had been endeavouring to suppress this tumult； but could not； and that imprisoning some of them in the new prison at Clerkenwell； the rest did come and break open the prison and release them； and that they do give out that they are for pulling down the brothels； which is one of the great grievances of the nation。 To which the King made a very poor； cold； insipid answer： 〃Why！ why do they go to them； then？〃and that was all； and had no mind to go on with the discourse。 This evening I came home from White Hall with Sir W。 Pen； who fell in talk about his going to sea this year； and the difficulties that arise to him by it； by giving offence to the Prince and occasioning envy to him； and many other things that make it a bad matter at this time of want of money and necessaries； and bad and uneven counsels at home； for him to go abroad： and did tell me how much with the King and Duke of York he had endeavoured to be excused； desiring the Prince might be satisfied in it who hath a mind to go； but he tells me they will not excuse him； and I believe it； and truly do judge it a piece of bad fortune to W。 Pen。
25th。 Up； and walked to White Hall； there to wait on the Duke of York； which I did： and in his chamber there； first by hearing the Duke of York call me by my name； my Lord Burlington did come to me and with great respect take notice of me and my relation to my Lord Sandwich； and express great kindness to me； and so to talk of my Lord Sandwich's concernments。 By and by the Duke of York is ready； and I did wait for an opportunity of speaking my mind to him about Sir J。 Minnes； his being unable to do the King any service。 The Duke of York and all with him this morning were full of the talk of the prentices； who are not yet； put down； though the guards and militia of the town have been in armes all this night and the night before； and the prentices have made fools of them； sometimes by running from them and flinging stones at them。 Some blood hath been spilt； but a great many houses pulled down； and； among others； the Duke of York was mighty merry at that of Daman Page's； the great bawd of the seamen； and the Duke of York complained merrily that he hath lost two tenants by their houses being pulled down； who paid him for their wine… licences 15l。 a…year。 But these idle fellows have had the confidence to say that they did ill in contenting themselves in pulling down the little brothels； and did not go and pull down the great one at White Hall。 And some of them have the last night had a word among them； and it was 〃Reformation and Reducement。〃 This do make the courtiers ill at ease to see this spirit among people； though they think this matter will not come to much： but it speakes people's minds； and then they do say that there are men of understanding among them； that have been of Cromwell's army： but how true that is； I know not。
26th。 To the Duke of York's house to see the new play； called 〃The Man is the Master：〃 ＇A comedy； by Sir Wm。 Davenant； taken from Moliere's 〃Joddelet。〃＇ where the house was； it being not one o'clock； very full。 By and by the King came； and we sat just under him； so that I durst not turn my back all the play。 The most of the mirth was sorry； poor stuffe； of eating of sack posset and slabbering themselves； and mirth fit for clownes； the prologue but poor； and the epilogue little in it but the extraordinariness of it； it being sung by Harris and another in the form of a ballet。 My wife extraordinary fine to…day in her flower tabby suit； bought a year and more ago； before my mother's death put her into mourning； and so not worn till this day： and every body in love with it； and indeed she is very fine and handsome in it。 Home in a coach round by the wall； where we met so many stops by the watches； that it cost us much time and some trouble； and more money； to every watch to them to drink； this being encreased by the trouble the prentices did lately give the City； so that the militia and watches are very strict at this time； and we had like to have met with a stop for all night at the constable's watch at Mooregate by a pragmatical constable； but we came well home at about two in the morning。 This noon from Mrs。 Williams's my Lord Brouncker sent to Somerset House to hear how the Duchesse of Richmond do； and word was brought him that she is pretty well； but mighty full of the small pox； by which all do conclude she will he wholly spoiled； which is the greatest instance of the uncertainty of beauty that could be in this age； but； then she hath had the benefit of it to be first married； and to have kept it so long under the greatest temptations in the world from a King； and yet without the least imputation。 This afternoon； at the play； Sir Fr。 Hollis spoke to me as a secret and matter of confidence in me； and friendship to Sir W。 Pen； who is now out of town； that it were well he were made acquainted that he finds in the House of Commons； which met this day； several motions made for the calling strictly again upon the miscarriages； and particularly in the business of the prizes and the not prosecuting of the first victory； only to give an affront to Sir W。 Pen； whose going to sea this year does give them matter of great dislike。
27th。 This day at noon comes Mr。 Pelling to me； and shows me the stone cut lately out of Sir Thomas Adams's （the old comely Alderman） body； ＇Knight and Bart。 alderman of London； ob。 1667。 He founded an Arabic Professorship at Ca