this day; but I find that the King and Duke of York had been so pressing
in it, that my Lord Ashly was more forward with the doing of it this day,
than I could have been. And so I to White Hall with Alderman Backewell in
his coach, with Mr. Blany; my Lord's Secretary: and there did draw up a
rough draught of what order I would have, and did carry it in, and had it
read twice and approved of, before my Lord Ashly and three more of the
Commissioners of the Treasury, and then went up to the Council-chamber,
where the Duke of York, and Prince Rupert, and the rest of the Committee
of the Navy were sitting: and I did get some of them to read it there: and
they would have had it passed presently, but Sir John Nicholas desired
they would first have it approved by a full Council: and, therefore, a
Council Extraordinary was readily summoned against the afternoon, and the
Duke of York run presently to the King, as if now they were really set to
mind their business, which God grant! So I thence to Westminster, and
walked in the Hall and up and down, the House being called over to-day,
and little news, but some talk as if the agreement between France and
Spain were like to be, which would be bad for us, and at noon with Sir
Herbert Price to Mr. George Montagu's to dinner, being invited by him in
the hall, and there mightily made of, even to great trouble to me to be so
commended before my face, with that flattery and importunity, that I was
quite troubled with it. Yet he is a fine gentleman, truly, and his lady a
fine woman; and, among many sons that I saw there, there was a little
daughter that is mighty pretty, of which he is infinite fond: and, after
dinner, did make her play on the gittar and sing, which she did mighty
prettily, and seems to have a mighty musical soul, keeping time with most
excellent spirit. Here I met with Mr. Brownlow, my old schoolfellow, who
come thither, I suppose, as a suitor to one of the young ladies that were
there, and a sober man he seems to be. But here Mr. Montagu did tell me
how Mr. Vaughan, in that very room, did say that I was a great man, and
had great understanding, and I know not what, which, I confess, I was a