Pepy's Diary. 05 Apr 1669. At noon by appointment comes Mr. Sheres, and he and I to Unthanke's, where my wife stays for us in our coach, and Betty Turner (age 16) with her; and we to the Mulberry Garden, where Sheres is to treat us with a Spanish Olio¹, by a cook of his acquaintance that is there, that was with my Lord in Spain: and without any other company, he did do it, and mighty nobly; and the Olio was indeed a very noble dish, such as I never saw better, or any more of. This, and the discourse he did give us of Spain, and description of the Escuriall, was a fine treat. So we left other good things, that would keep till night, for a collation; and, with much content, took coach again, and went five or six miles towards Branford, the Prince of Tuscany (age 26), who comes into England only to spend money and see our country, comes into the town to-day, and is much expected; and we met him, but the coach passing by apace, we could not see much of him but he seems a very jolly and good comely man. By the way, we overtook Captain Ferrers upon his fine Spanish horse, and he is a fine horse indeed; but not so good, I think, as I have seen some. He did ride by us most of the way, and with us to the Park, and there left us, where we passed the evening, and meeting The. Turner (age 17), Talbot, W. Batelier, and his sister, in a coach, we anon took them with us to the Mulberry Garden; and there, after a walk, to supper upon what was left at noon; and very good; only Mr. Sheres being taken suddenly ill for a while, did spoil our mirth; but by and by was well again, and we mighty merry: and so broke up, and left him at Charing Cross [Map], and so calling only at my cozen Turner's, away home, mightily pleased with the day's work, and this day come another new mayd, for a middle mayd, but her name I know not yet; and, for a cookmaid, we have, ever since Bridget went, used a blackmoore of Mr. Batelier's, Doll, who dresses our meat mighty well, and we mightily pleased with her. So by and by to bed.

Note 1. An olio is a mixed dish of meat and vegetables, and, secondarily, mixture or medley.

Pepy's Diary. 18 Apr 1669. Lord's Day. Up, and all the morning till 2 o'clock at my Office, with Gibson and Tom, about drawing up fair my discourse of the Administration of the Navy, and then, Mr. Spong being come to dine with me, I in to dinner, and then out to my Office again, to examine the fair draught; and so borrowing Sir J. Minnes's (age 70) coach, he going with Colonel Middleton, I to White Hall, where we all met and did sign it and then to my Lord Arlington's (age 51), where the King (age 38), and the Duke of York (age 35), and Prince Rupert (age 49), as also Ormond and the two Secretaries, with my Lord Ashly (age 47) and Sir T. Clifton (age 38) was. And there, by and by, being called in, Mr. Williamson (age 35) did read over our paper, which was in a letter to the Duke of York (age 35), bound up in a book with the Duke of York's (age 35) Book of Instructions. He read it well; and, after read, we were bid to withdraw, nothing being at all said to it. And by and by we were called in again, and nothing said to that business; but another begun, about the state of this year's action, and our wants of money, as I had stated the same lately to our Treasurers; which I was bid, and did largely, and with great content, open. And having so done, we all withdrew, and left them to debate our supply of money; to which, being called in, and referred to attend on the Lords of the Treasury, we all departed. And I only staid in the House till the Council rose; and then to the Duke of York (age 35), who in the Duchess's chamber come to me, and told me that the book was there left with my Lord Arlington (age 51), for any of the Lords to view that had a mind, and to prepare and present to the King (age 38) what they had to say in writing, to any part of it, which is all we can desire, and so that rested. The Duke of York (age 35) then went to other talk; and by and by comes the Prince of Tuscany (age 26) to visit him, and the Duchess (age 32); and I find that he do still remain incognito, and so intends to do all the time he stays here, for avoiding trouble to the King (age 38) and himself, and expence also to both.