g made Recorder of Huntingdon in his stead, which he seems
well contented with, saying, that it may be for his convenience to have
the chief officer of the town dependent upon him, which is very true.
Thence he and I to the Temple, but my uncle being gone we parted, and I
walked home, and to my office, and at nine o'clock had a good supper of
an oxe's cheek, of my wife's dressing and baking, and so to my office
again till past eleven at night, making up my month's account, and find
that I am at a stay with what I was last, that is L640. So home and to
bed. Coming by, I put in at White Hall, and at the Privy Seal I did see
the docquet by which Sir W. Pen is made the Comptroller's assistant, as
Sir J. Minnes told me last night, which I must endeavour to prevent.

MARCH 1662-1663

March 1st (Lord's day). Up and walked to White Hall, to the Chappell,
where preached one Dr. Lewes, said heretofore to have been a great witt;
but he read his sermon every word, and that so brokenly and so low, that
nobody could hear at any distance, nor I anything worth hearing that
sat near. But, which was strange, he forgot to make any prayer before
sermon, which all wonder at, but they impute it to his forgetfulness.
After sermon a very fine anthem; so I up into the house among the
courtiers, seeing the fine ladies, and, above all, my Lady Castlemaine,
who is above all, that only she I can observe for true beauty. The King
and Queen being set to dinner I went to Mr. Fox's, and there dined with
him. Much genteel company, and, among other things, I hear for certain
that peace is concluded between the King of France and the Pope; and
also I heard the reasons given by our Parliament yesterday to the King
why they dissent from him in matter of Indulgence, which are very good
quite through, and which I was glad to hear. Thence to my Lord Sandwich,
who continues with a great cold, locked up; and, being alone, we fell
into discourse of my uncle the Captain's death and estate, and I took
the opportunity of telling my Lord how matters stand, and read his
will, and told him all, what a poor estate he hath left, at all which he
wonders strangely, which he may well do. Thence after singing some new
tunes with W. Howe I walked home, whither came Will. Joyce, whom I have
not seen here a great while, nor desire it a great while again, he is so
impertinent a coxcomb, and yet good natured, and mightily concerned for
my brother's late folly in his late wo