one table clear from the ground
and set upon another, when neither I nor anyone in my house but Jane the
cook-mayde could do it.

18th. Up and to the office, and thence to the Committee of the Fishery
at White Hall, where so poor simple doings about the business of the
Lottery, that I was ashamed to see it, that a thing so low and base
should have any thing to do with so noble an undertaking. But I had the
advantage this day to hear Mr. Williamson discourse, who come to be a
contractor with others for the Lotterys, and indeed I find he is a very
logicall man and a good speaker. But it was so pleasant to see my Lord
Craven, the chaireman, before many persons of worth and grave, use this
comparison in saying that certainly these that would contract for all
the lotteries would not suffer us to set up the Virginia lottery for
plate before them, "For," says he, "if I occupy a wench first, you may
occupy her again your heart out you can never have her maidenhead after
I have once had it," which he did more loosely, and yet as if he had
fetched a most grave and worthy instance. They made mirth, but I and
others were ashamed of it. Thence to the 'Change and thence home to
dinner, and thence to the office a good while, and thence to the Council
chamber at White Hall to speake with Sir G. Carteret, and here by
accident heard a great and famous cause between Sir G. Lane and one
Mr. Phill. Whore, an Irish business about Sir G. Lane's endeavouring to
reverse a decree of the late Commissioners of Ireland in a Rebells case
for his land, which the King had given as forfeited to Sir G. Lane,
for whom the Sollicitor did argue most angell like, and one of the
Commissioners, Baron, did argue for the other and for himself and
his brethren who had decreed it. But the Sollicitor do so pay the
Commissioners, how four all along did act for the Papists, and three
only for the Protestants, by which they were overvoted, but at last
one word (which was omitted in the Sollicitor's repeating of an Act
of Parliament in the case) being insisted on by the other part, the
Sollicitor was put to a great stop, and I could discern he could not
tell what to say, but was quite out. Thence home well pleased with this
accident, and so home to my office, where late, and then to supper and
to bed. This day I had a letter from Mr. Coventry, that tells me that
my Lord Brunkard is to be one of our Commissioners, of which I am very
glad, if any more must be.

19th.