dinner to my Lord Crew, where little discourse, there being none but us at
the table, and my Lord and my Lady Jemimah, and so after dinner away,
Creed and I to White Hall, expecting a Committee of Tangier, but come too
late. So I to attend the Council, and by and by were called in with Lord
Brouncker and Sir W. Pen to advise how to pay away a little money to most
advantage to the men of the yards, to make them dispatch the ships going
out, and there did make a little speech, which was well liked, and after
all it was found most satisfactory to the men, and best for the king's
dispatch, that what money we had should be paid weekly to the men for
their week's work until a greater sum could be got to pay them their
arrears and then discharge them. But, Lord! to see what shifts and what
cares and thoughts there was employed in this matter how to do the King's
work and please the men and stop clamours would make a man think the King
should not eat a bit of good meat till he has got money to pay the men,
but I do not see the least print of care or thoughts in him about it at
all. Having done here, I out and there met Sir Fr. Hollis, who do still
tell me that, above all things in the world, he wishes he had my tongue in
his mouth, meaning since my speech in Parliament. He took Lord Brouncker
and me down to the guards, he and his company being upon the guards
to-day; and there he did, in a handsome room to that purpose, make us
drink, and did call for his bagpipes, which, with pipes of ebony, tipt
with silver, he did play beyond anything of that kind that ever I heard in
my life; and with great pains he must have obtained it, but with pains
that the instrument do not deserve at all; for, at the best, it is mighty
barbarous musick. So home and there to my chamber, to prick out my song,
"It is Decreed," intending to have it ready to give Mr. Harris on
Thursday, when we meet, for him to sing, believing that he will do it more
right than a woman that sings better, unless it were Knepp, which I cannot
have opportunity to teach it to. This evening I come home from White Hall
with Sir W. Pen, who fell in talk about his going to sea this year, and