en in the garden, and then going away I ended my discourse with Mr.
Coventry. But by the way Mr. Coventry was saying that there remained
nothing now in our office to be amended but what would do of itself
every day better and better, for as much as he that was slowest, Sir W.
Batten, do now begin to look about him and to mind business. At which,
God forgive me! I was a little moved with envy, but yet I am glad, and
ought to be, though it do lessen a little my care to see that the King's
service is like to be better attended than it was heretofore. Thence
by coach to Mr. Povy's, being invited thither by [him] came a messenger
this morning from him, where really he made a most excellent and large
dinner, of their variety, even to admiration, he bidding us, in a
frolique, to call for what we had a mind, and he would undertake to give
it us: and we did for prawns, swan, venison, after I had thought the
dinner was quite done, and he did immediately produce it, which I
thought great plenty, and he seems to set off his rest in this plenty
and the neatness of his house, which he after dinner showed me, from
room to room, so beset with delicate pictures, and above all, a piece of
perspective in his closett in the low parler; his stable, where was some
most delicate horses, and the very-racks painted, and mangers, with a
neat leaden painted cistern, and the walls done with Dutch tiles, like
my chimnies. But still, above all things, he bid me go down into his
wine-cellar, where upon several shelves there stood bottles of all sorts
of wine, new and old, with labells pasted upon each bottle, and in
the order and plenty as I never saw books in a bookseller's shop; and
herein, I observe, he puts his highest content, and will accordingly
commend all that he hath, but still they deserve to be so. Here dined
with me Dr. Whore and Mr. Scawen. Therewith him and Mr. Bland, whom we
met by the way, to my Lord Chancellor's, where the King was to meet my
Lord Treasurer, &c., many great men, to settle the revenue of Tangier.
I staid talking awhile there, but the King not coming I walked to my
brother's, where I met my cozen Scotts (Tom not being at home) and sent
for a glass of wine for them, and having drunk we parted, and I to the
Wardrobe talking with Mr. Moore about my law businesses, which I doubt
will go ill for want of time for me to attend them. So home, where I
found Mrs. Lodum speaking with my wife about her kinswoman which is
offered my