the Duke, who met us in his closet; and there he did discourse to us the
business of Holmes, and did desire of us to know what hath been the common
practice about making of forrayne ships to strike sail to us, which they
did all do as much as they could; but I could say nothing to it, which I
was sorry for. So indeed I was forced to study a lie, and so after we
were gone from the Duke, I told Mr. Coventry that I had heard Mr. Selden
often say, that he could prove that in Henry the 7th's time, he did give
commission to his captains to make the King of Denmark's ships to strike
to him in the Baltique. From thence Sir W. Pen and I to the Theatre, but
it was so full that we could hardly get any room, so he went up to one of
the boxes, and I into the 18d. places, and there saw "Love at first
sight," a play of Mr. Killigrew's, and the first time that it hath been
acted since before the troubles, and great expectation there was, but I
found the play to be a poor thing, and so I perceive every body else do.
So home, calling at Paul's Churchyard for a "Mare Clausum," having it in
my mind to write a little matter, what I can gather, about the business of
striking sayle, and present it to the Duke, which I now think will be a
good way to make myself known. So home and to bed.

30th. In the morning to the Temple, Mr. Philips and Dr. Williams about my
several law matters, and so to the Wardrobe to dinner, and after dinner
stole away, my Lady not dining out of her chamber, and so home and then to
the office all the afternoon, and that being done Sir W. Batten and I and
Captain Cock got a bottle of sack into the office, and there we sat late
and drank and talked, and so home and to bed. I am this day in very good
health, only got a little cold. The Parliament has sat a pretty while.
The old condemned judges of the late King have been brought before the
Parliament, and like to be hanged. I am deep in Chancery against Tom
Trice, God give a good issue; and myself under great trouble for my late
great expending of money vainly, which God stop for the future. This is