25th. Up betimes to write fair my last night's paper for the Duke, and so
along with Sir W. Batten by hackney coach to St. James's, where the Duke
is gone abroad with the King to the Parke, but anon come back to White
Hall, and we, after an houre's waiting, walked thither (I having desired
Sir W. Coventry in his chamber to read over my paper about the
victualling, which he approves of, and I am glad I showed it him first, it
makes it the less necessary to show it the Duke at all, if I find it best
to let it alone). At White Hall we find [the Court] gone to Chappell, it
being St. James's-day. And by and by, while they are at chappell, and we
waiting chappell being done, come people out of the Parke, telling us that
the guns are heard plain. And so every body to the Parke, and by and by
the chappell done, and the King and Duke into the bowling-green, and upon
the leads, whither I went, and there the guns were plain to be heard;
though it was pretty to hear how confident some would be in the loudnesse
of the guns, which it was as much as ever I could do to hear them. By and
by the King to dinner, and I waited there his dining; but, Lord! how
little I should be pleased, I think, to have so many people crowding about
me; and among other things it astonished me to see my Lord Barkeshire
waiting at table, and serving the King drink, in that dirty pickle as I
never saw man in my life. Here I met Mr. Williams, who in serious
discourse told me he did hope well of this fight because of the equality
of force or rather our having the advantage in number, and also because we
did not go about it with the presumption that we did heretofore, when, he
told me, he did before the last fight look upon us by our pride fated to
be overcome. He would have me to dine where he was invited to dine, at
the Backe-stayres. So after the King's meat was taken away, we thither;
but he could not stay, but left me there among two or three of the King's
servants, where we dined with the meat that come from his table; which was
most excellent, with most brave drink cooled in ice (which at this hot