quietly, being promised pay on Wednesday next. God send us money for it!
So to the office, and then to supper and to bed. Among other things
proposed in the House to-day, to give the King in lieu of chimneys, there
was the bringing up of sealed paper, such as Sir J. Minnes shewed me
to-night, at Sir W. Batten's, is used in Spayne, and brings the King a
great revenue; but it shows what shifts we are put to too much.

20th. Up, and all the morning at the office, where none met but myself.
So I walked a good while with Mr. Gawden in the garden, who is lately come
from the fleete at the buoy of the Nore, and he do tell me how all the
sober commanders, and even Sir Thomas Allen himself, do complain of the
ill government of the fleete. How Holmes and Jennings have commanded all
the fleete this yeare, that nothing is done upon deliberation, but if a
sober man give his opinion otherwise than the Prince would have it the
Prince would cry, "Damn him, do you follow your orders, and that is
enough for you." He tells me he hears of nothing but of swearing and
drinking and whoring, and all manner of profaneness, quite through the
whole fleete. He being gone, there comes to me Commissioner Middleton,
whom I took on purpose to walk in the garden with me, and to learn what he
observed when the fleete was at Portsmouth. He says that the fleete was
in such a condition, as to discipline, as if the Devil had commanded it;
so much wickedness of all sorts. Enquiring how it come to pass that so
many ships miscarried this year, he tells me that he enquired; and the
pilots do say, that they dare not do nor go but as the Captains will have
them; and if they offer to do otherwise, the Captains swear they will run
them through. He says that he heard Captain Digby (my Lord of Bristoll's
son, a young fellow that never was but one year, if that, in the fleete)
say that he did hope he should not see a tarpaulin have the command of a
ship within this twelve months. He observed while he was on board the
Admirall, when the fleete was at Portsmouth, that there was a faction