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Tuesday 17 April 1660

All the morning getting ready commissions for the Vice-Admiral and the Rear-Admiral, wherein my Lord was very careful to express the utmost of his own power, commanding them to obey what orders they should receive from the Parliament, &c., or both or either of the Generals.1 The Vice-Admiral dined with us, and in the afternoon my Lord called me to give him the commission for him, which I did, and he gave it him himself. A very pleasant afternoon, and I upon the deck all the day, it was so clear that my Lord's glass shewed us Calais very plain, and the cliffs were as plain to be seen as Kent, and my Lord at first made me believe that it was Kent.  At night, after supper, my Lord called for the Rear- Admiral's commission, which I brought him, and I sitting in my study heard my Lord discourse with him concerning Deking's and Newberry's being put out of commission.  And by the way I did observe that my Lord did speak more openly his mind to me afterwards at night than I can find that he did to the Rear-Admiral, though his great confidant.  For I was with him an hour together, when he told me clearly his thoughts that the King would carry it, and that he did think himself very happy that he was now at sea, as well for his own sake, as that he thought he might do his country some service in keeping things quiet.  To bed, and shifting myself from top to toe, there being J. Goods and W. Howe sat late by my bedside talking.  So to sleep, every day bringing me a fresh sense of the pleasure of my present life.