Montaigne's Essays, in English, and so away home to dinner, and after
dinner with W. Pen to White Hall, where we and my Lord Brouncker attended
the Council, to discourse about the fitness of entering of men presently
for the manning of the fleete, before one ship is in condition to receive
them. W. Coventry did argue against it: I was wholly silent, because I
saw the King, upon the earnestness of the Prince, was willing to it,
crying very sillily, "If ever you intend to man the fleete, without being
cheated by the captains and pursers, you may go to bed, and resolve never
to have it manned;" and so it was, like other things, over-ruled that all
volunteers should be presently entered. Then there was another great
business about our signing of certificates to the Exchequer for [prize]
goods, upon the L1,20,000 Act, which the Commissioners of the Treasury did
all oppose, and to the laying fault upon us. But I did then speak to the
justifying what we had done, even to the angering of Duncomb and Clifford,
which I was vexed at: but, for all that, I did set the Office and myself
right, and went away with the victory, my Lord Keeper saying that he would
not advise the Council to order us to sign no more certificates. But,
before I began to say anything in this matter, the King and the Duke of
York talking at the Council-table, before all the Lords, of the Committee
of Miscarriages, how this entering of men before the ships could be ready
would be reckoned a miscarriage; "Why," says the King, "it is then but Mr.
Pepys making of another speech to them;" which made all the Lords, and
there were by also the Atturny and Sollicitor-Generall, look upon me.
Thence Sir W. Coventry, W. Pen and I, by hackney-coach to take a little
ayre in Hyde Parke, the first time I have been there this year; and we did
meet many coaches going and coming, it being mighty pleasant weather; and
so, coming back again, I 'light in the Pell Mell; and there went to see
Sir H. Cholmly, who continues very ill of his cold. And there come in Sir
H. Yelverton, whom Sir H. Cholmly commended me to his acquaintance, which
the other received, but without remembering to me, or I him, of our being