Sir W. Batten's to examine the Commission going down to Portsmouth to
examine witnesses about our prizes, of which God give a good issue! and
then to the office again, where late, and so home, my eyes sore. To
supper and to bed.

2nd. Up, I, and walked to White Hall to attend the Duke of York, as
usual. My wife up, and with Mrs. Pen to walk in the fields to frost-bite
themselves. I find the Court full of great apprehensions of the French,
who have certainly shipped landsmen, great numbers, at Brest; and most of
our people here guess his design for Ireland. We have orders to send all
the ships we can possible to the Downes. God have mercy on us! for we can
send forth no ships without men, nor will men go without money, every day
bringing us news of new mutinies among the seamen; so that our condition
is like to be very miserable. Thence to Westminster Hall, and there met
all the Houblons, who do laugh at this discourse of the French, and say
they are verily of opinion it is nothing but to send to their plantation
in the West Indys, and that we at Court do blow up a design of invading
us, only to make the Parliament make more haste in the money matters, and
perhaps it may be so, but I do not believe we have any such plot in our
heads. After them, I, with several people, among others Mr. George
Montagu, whom I have not seen long, he mighty kind. He tells me all is
like to go ill, the King displeasing the House of Commons by evading their
Bill for examining Accounts, and putting it into a Commission, though
therein he hath left out Coventry and I and named all the rest the
Parliament named, and all country Lords, not one Courtier: this do not
please them. He tells me he finds the enmity almost over for my Lord
Sandwich, and that now all is upon the Vice-Chamberlain, who bears up well
and stands upon his vindication, which he seems to like well, and the
others do construe well also. Thence up to the Painted Chamber, and there
heard a conference between the House of Lords and Commons about the Wine