But four operas it shall have in the year, to act six weeks at a time; where we shall have the best scenes and machines, the best musique, and every thing as magnificent as is in Christendome; and to that end hath sent for voices and painters and other persons from Italy.  Thence homeward called upon my Lord Marlborough, and so home and to my office, and then to Sir W. Pen, and with him and our fellow officers and servants of the house and none else to Church to lay his brother in the ground, wherein nothing handsome at all, but that he lays him under the Communion table in the chancel, about nine at night?  So home and to bed.

3rd.  Up betimes and set some joyners on work to new lay my floor in our wardrobe, which I intend to make a room for musique.  Thence abroad to Westminster, among other things to Mr. Blagrave’s, and there had his consent for his kinswoman to come to be with my wife for her woman, at which I am well pleased and hope she may do well.  Thence to White Hall to meet with Sir G. Carteret about hiring some ground to make our mast docke at Deptford, but being Council morning failed, but met with Mr. Coventry, and he and I discoursed of the likeliness of a Dutch warr, which I think is very likely now, for the Dutch do prepare a fleet to oppose us at Guinny, and he do think we shall, though neither of us have a mind to it, fall into it of a sudden, and yet the plague do increase among them, and is got into their fleet, and Opdam’s own ship, which makes it strange they should be so high.  Thence to the ’Change, and thence home to dinner, and down by water to Woolwich to the rope yard, and there visited Mrs. Falconer, who tells me odd stories of how Sir W. Pen was rewarded by her husband with a gold watch (but seems not certain of what Sir W. Batten told me, of his daughter having a life given her in L80 per ann.) for his helping him to his place, and yet cost him L150 to Mr. Coventry besides.  He did much advise it seems Mr. Falconer not to marry again, expressing that he would have him make his daughter his heire, or words to that purpose, and that that makes him, she thinks, so cold in giving her any satisfaction, and that W. Boddam hath publickly said, since he came down thither to be clerke of the ropeyard, that it hath this week cost him L100, and would be glad that it would cost him but half as much more for the place, and that he was better before than now, and that if he had been to have bought it, he would not have given so much for it.  Now I am sure that Mr. Coventry hath again and again said that he would take nothing, but would give all his part in it freely to him, that so the widow might have something.  What the meaning of this is I know not, but that Sir W. Pen do get something by it.  Thence to the Dockeyard, and there saw the new ship in great forwardness.  So home and to supper, and then to the office, where late, Mr. Bland and I talking about Tangier business, and so home to bed.