the talke is that De Ruyter is come over-land home with six or eight of
his captaines to command here at home, and their ships kept abroad in the
Straights; which sounds as if they had a mind to do something with us.

30th (Lord's day). Up, and this morning put on my new, fine, coloured
cloth suit, with my cloake lined with plush, which is a dear and noble
suit, costing me about L17. To church, and then home to dinner, and after
dinner to a little musique with my boy, and so to church with my wife, and
so home, and with her all the evening reading and at musique with my boy
with great pleasure, and so to supper, prayers, and to bed.

31st. Very busy all the morning, at noon Creed to me and dined with me,
and then he and I to White Hall, there to a Committee of Tangier, where it
is worth remembering when Mr. Coventry proposed the retrenching some of
the charge of the horse, the first word asked by the Duke of Albemarle
was, "Let us see who commands them," there being three troops. One of
them he calls to mind was by Sir Toby Bridges. "Oh!" says he, "there is a
very good man. If you must reform

[Reform, i.e. disband. See "Memoirs of Sir John Reresby,"
September 2nd, 1651. "A great many younger brothers and reformed
officers of the King's army depended upon him for their meat and
drink." So reformado, a discharged or disbanded officer.--M. B.]

two of them, be sure let him command the troop that is left." Thence
home, and there came presently to me Mr. Young and Whistler, who find that
I have quite overcome them in their business of flags, and now they come
to intreat my favour, but I will be even with them. So late to my office
and there till past one in the morning making up my month's accounts, and
find that my expense this month in clothes has kept me from laying up