to put my finger to it, to feel whether my eyes were deceived or no. He
do ask L70 for it: I had the vanity to bid him L20; but a better picture I
never saw in my whole life; and it is worth going twenty miles to see it.
Thence, leaving Balty there, I took my wife to St. James's, and there
carried her to the Queen's Chapel, the first time I ever did it; and heard
excellent musick, but not so good as by accident I did hear there
yesterday, as I went through the Park from White Hall to see Sir W.
Coventry, which I have forgot to set down in my journal yesterday. And
going out of the Chapel, I did see the Prince of Tuscany' come out, a
comely, black, fat man, in a mourning suit; and my wife and I did see him
this afternoon through a window in this Chapel. All that Sir W. Coventry
yesterday did tell me new was, that the King would not yet give him leave
to come to kiss his hand; and he do believe that he will not in a great
while do it, till those about him shall see fit, which I am sorry for.
Thence to the Park, my wife and I; and here Sir W. Coventry did first see
me and my wife in a coach of our own; and so did also this night the Duke
of York, who did eye my wife mightily. But I begin to doubt that my being
so much seen in my own coach at this time, may be observed to my
prejudice; but I must venture it now. So home, and by night home, and so
to my office, and there set down my journal, with the help of my left eye
through my tube, for fourteen days' past; which is so much, as, I hope, I
shall not run in arrear again, but the badness of my eyes do force me to
it. So home to supper and to bed.

12th. Up, and by water to White Hall, where I of the whole Office
attended the Duke of York at his meeting with Sir Thomas Allen and several
flag-officers, to consider of the manner of managing the war with Algiers;
and, it being a thing I was wholly silent in, I did only observe; and find
that; their manner of discourse on this weighty affair was very mean and
disorderly, the Duke of York himself being the man that I thought spoke