9th (Lord's day). Being called up early by Sir W. Batten I rose and went
to his house and he told me the ill news that he had this morning from
Woolwich, that the Assurance (formerly Captain Holland's ship, and now
Captain Stoakes's, designed for Guiny and manned and victualled), was by a
gust of wind sunk down to the bottom. Twenty men drowned. Sir Williams
both went by barge thither to see how things are, and I am sent to the
Duke of York to tell him, and by boat with some other company going to
Whitehall from the Old Swan. I went to the Duke. And first calling upon
Mr. Coventry at his chamber, I went to the Duke's bed-side, who had sat up
late last night, and lay long this morning, who was much surprised,
therewith. This being done I went to chappell, and sat in Mr. Blagrave's
pew, and there did sing my part along with another before the King, and
with much ease. From thence going to my Lady I met with a letter from my
Lord (which Andrew had been at my house to bring me and missed me),
commanding me to go to Mr. Denham, to get a man to go to him to-morrow to
Hinchinbroke, to contrive with him about some alterations in his house,
which I did and got Mr. Kennard. Dined with my Lady and staid all the
afternoon with her, and had infinite of talk of all kind of things,
especially of beauty of men and women, with which she seems to be much
pleased to talk of. From thence at night to Mr. Kennard and took him to
Mr. Denham, the Surveyor's. Where, while we could not speak with him, his
chief man (Mr. Cooper) did give us a cup of good sack. From thence with
Mr. Kennard to my Lady who is much pleased with him, and after a glass of
sack there; we parted, having taken order for a horse or two for him and
his servant to be gone to-morrow. So to my father's, where I sat while
they were at supper, and I found my mother below, stairs and pretty well.
Thence home, where I hear that the Comptroller had some business with me,
and (with Giffin's lanthorn) I went to him and there staid in discourse an
hour 'till late, and among other things he showed me a design of his, by
the King's making an Order of Knights of the Seal to give an encouragement