Pen, who is not yet well again. Thence back again to my wife and supped
there, and were very merry and so home, and after prayers to write down my
journall for the last five days, and so to bed.

21st. This morning Sir W. Batten, the Comptroller and I to Westminster,
to the Commissioners for paying off the Army and Navy, where the Duke of
Albemarle was; and we sat with our hats on, and did discourse about paying
off the ships and do find that they do intend to undertake it without our
help; and we are glad of it, for it is a work that will much displease the
poor seamen, and so we are glad to have no hand in it. From thence to the
Exchequer, and took L200 and carried it home, and so to the office till
night, and then to see Sir W. Pen, whither came my Lady Batten and her
daughter, and then I sent for my wife, and so we sat talking till it was
late. So home to supper and then to bed, having eat no dinner to-day. It
is strange what weather we have had all this winter; no cold at all; but
the ways are dusty, and the flyes fly up and down, and the rose-bushes are
full of leaves, such a time of the year as was never known in this world
before here. This day many more of the Fifth Monarchy men were hanged.

22nd. To the Comptroller's house, where I read over his proposals to the
Lord Admiral for the regulating of the officers of the Navy, in which he
hath taken much pains, only he do seem to have too good opinion of them
himself. From thence in his coach to Mercer's Chappell, and so up to the
great hall, where we met with the King's Councell for Trade, upon some
proposals of theirs for settling convoys for the whole English trade, and
that by having 33 ships (four fourth-rates, nineteen fifths, ten sixths)
settled by the King for that purpose, which indeed was argued very finely
by many persons of honour and merchants that were there. It pleased me
much now to come in this condition to this place, where I was once a
petitioner for my exhibition in Paul's School; and also where Sir G.