had letters in his pocket from the King, as it proved afterwards. And
Sydney afterwards did find it out at Copenhagen, the Dutch Commissioners
telling him how my Lord Sandwich had hired one of their ships to carry
back Whetstone to Lubeck, he being come from Flanders from the King. But
I cannot but remember my Lord's aequanimity in all these affairs with
admiration. Thence walked home, in my way meeting Mr. Moore, with whom I
took a turn or two in the street among the drapers in Paul's Churchyard,
talking of business, and so home to bed.

9th. Up betimes, to my office, where all the morning. About noon Sir J.
Robinson, Lord Mayor, desiring way through the garden from the Tower,
called in at the office and there invited me (and Sir W. Pen, who happened
to be in the way) to dinner, which we did; and there had a great Lent
dinner of fish, little flesh. And thence he and I in his coach, against
my will (for I am resolved to shun too great fellowship with him) to White
Hall, but came too late, the Duke having been with our fellow officers
before we came, for which I was sorry. Thence he and I to walk one turn
in the Park, and so home by coach, and I to my office, where late, and so
home to supper and bed. There dined with us to-day Mr. Slingsby, of the
Mint, who showed us all the new pieces both gold and silver (examples of
them all), that are made for the King, by Blondeau's' way; and compared
them with those made for Oliver. The pictures of the latter made by
Symons, and of the King by one Rotyr, a German, I think, that dined with
us also. He extolls those of Rotyr's above the others; and, indeed, I
think they are the better, because the sweeter of the two; but, upon my
word, those of the Protector are more like in my mind, than the King's,
but both very well worth seeing. The crowns of Cromwell are now sold, it
seems, for 25s. and 30s. apiece.

10th. Up and to my office all the morning, and great pleasure it is to be