among the rest myself was reckoned one. We had order to meet to-morrow, to draw up such an order of the Council as would put us into action before our patents were passed. At which my heart was glad. At night supped with my Lord, he and I together, in the great dining-room alone by ourselves, the first time I ever did it in London. Home to bed, my maid pretty well again.
3d. All the morning the Officers and Commissioners of the Navy, we met at Sir G. Carteret’s
[Sir George Carteret, born 1599, had originally been bred to the sea
service, and became Comptroller of the Navy to Charles I., and
Governor of Jersey, where he obtained considerable reputation by his
gallant defence of that island against the Parliament forces. At
the Restoration he was made Vice-Chamberlain to the King, Treasurer
of the Navy, and a Privy Councillor, and in 1661 he was elected M.P.
for Portsmouth. In 1666 he exchanged the Treasurership of the Navy
with the Earl of Anglesea for the Vice-Treasurership of Ireland. He
became a Commissioner of the Admiralty in 1673. He continued in
favour with Charles II. till his death, January 14th, 1679, in his
eightieth year. He married his cousin Elizabeth, daughter of Sir
Philip Carteret, Knight of St. Ouen, and had issue three sons and
five daughters.]
chamber, and agreed upon orders for the Council to supersede the old ones, and empower us to act. Dined with Mr. Stephens, the Treasurer’s man of the Navy, and Mr. Turner, to whom I offered L50 out of my own purse for one year, and the benefit of a Clerk’s allowance beside, which he thanked me for; but I find he hath some design yet in his head, which I could not think of. In the afternoon my heart was quite pulled down, by being told that Mr. Barlow was to enquire to-day for Mr. Coventry; but at night I met with my Lord, who told me that I need not fear, for he would get me the place against the world. And when I came to W. Howe, he told me that Dr. Petty had been with my Lord, and did tell him that Barlow was a sickly man, and did not intend to execute the place himself, which put me in great comfort again. Till 2 in the morning writing letters and things for my Lord to send to sea. So home to my wife to bed.
4th. Up very early in the morning and landing my wife at White Friars stairs, I went to the Bridge and so to the Treasurer’s of the Navy, with whom I spake about the business of my office, who put me into very good hopes of my business. At his house comes Commissioner Pett, and he and I went to view the houses in Seething Lane, belonging to the Navy,
[The Navy Office was erected on the site of Lumley House, formerly
belonging to the Fratres Sancta Crucis (or Crutched Friars), and all
business connected with naval concerns was transacted there till its
removal to Somerset House.—The ground was afterwards occupied by
the East India Company’s warehouses. The civil business of the
Admiralty was removed from Somerset House to Spring Gardens in
1869.]
where I find the worst very good, and had great fears in my mind that they will shuffle me out of them, which troubles me. From thence to the Excise Office in Broad Street, where I received L500 for my Lord, by appointment of the Treasurer, and went afterwards down with Mr. Luddyard and drank my morning draft with him and other officers. Thence to Mr. Backewell’s, the goldsmith, where I took my Lord’s L100 in plate for Mr. Secretary Nicholas, and my own piece of plate, being a state dish and cup in chased work for Mr. Coventry, cost me above L19. Carried these and the money by coach to my Lord’s at White Hall, and from thence carried Nicholas’s plate to his house and left it there, intending to speak with him anon. So to Westminster Hall, where meeting with M. L’Impertinent and W. Bowyer, I took them to the Sun Tavern, and gave them a lobster and some wine, and sat talking like a fool till 4 o’clock. So to my Lord’s, and walking all the afternoon in White Hall Court, in expectation of what shall be done in the Council as to our business. It was strange to see how all the people flocked together bare, to see the King looking out of the Council window. At night my Lord told me how my orders that I drew last night about giving us power to act, are granted by the Council. At which he and I were very glad. Home and to bed, my boy lying in my house this night the first time.
5th. This morning my brother Tom brought me my jackanapes coat with silver buttons. It rained this morning, which makes us fear that the glory of this great day will be lost; the King and Parliament being to be entertained by the City to-day with great pomp.
[“July 5th. His Majesty, the two Dukes, the House of Lords, and the
House of Commons, and the Privy Council, dined at the Guildhall.
Every Hall appeared with their colours and streamers to attend His
Majesty; the Masters in gold chains. Twelve pageants in the streets
between Temple Bar and Guildhall. Forty brace of bucks were that
day spent in the City of London.”—Rugge’s Diurnal.—B.]
Mr. Hater’ was with me to-day, and I agreed with him to be my clerk.