Mark Lane.

28th. To St. James's, where the King's being with the Duke of York
prevented a meeting of the Tangier Commission. But, Lord! what a deal of
sorry discourse did I hear between the King and several Lords about him
here! but very mean methought. So with Creed to the Excise Office, and
back to White Hall, where, in the Park, Sir G. Carteret did give me an
account of his discourse lately, with the Commissioners of Accounts, who
except against many things, but none that I find considerable; among
others, that of the Officers of the Navy selling of the King's goods, and
particularly my providing him with calico flags, which having been by
order, and but once, when necessity, and the King's apparent profit,
justified it, as conformable to my particular duty, it will prove to my
advantage that it be enquired into. Nevertheless, having this morning
received from them a demand of an account of all monies within their
cognizance, received and issued by me, I was willing, upon this hint, to
give myself rest, by knowing whether their meaning therein might reach
only to my Treasurership for Tangier, or the monies employed on this
occasion. I went, therefore, to them this afternoon, to understand what
monies they meant, where they answered me, by saying, "The eleven months'
tax, customs, and prizemoney," without mentioning, any more than I
demanding, the service they respected therein; and so, without further
discourse, we parted, upon very good terms of respect, and with few words,
but my mind not fully satisfied about the monies they mean. At noon Mr.
Gibson and I dined at the Swan, and thence doing this at Brook house, and
thence caking at the Excise Office for an account of payment of my tallies
for Tangier, I home, and thence with my wife and brother spent the evening
on the water, carrying our supper with us, as high as Chelsea; so home,
making sport with the Westerne bargees, and my wife and I singing, to my
great content.