only way. Few
people yet in the streets, nor shops open, here and there twenty in
a place almost; though not above five or sixe o'clock at night. So to
Viner's, and there heard of Cocke, and found him at the Pope's Head,
drinking with Temple. I to them, where the Goldsmiths do decry the
new Act, for money to be all brought into the Exchequer, and paid out
thence, saying they will not advance one farthing upon it; and indeed
it is their interest to say and do so. Thence Cocke and I to Sir
G. Smith's, it being now night, and there up to his chamber and sat
talking, and I barbing--[shaving]--against to-morrow; and anon, at nine
at night, comes to us Sir G. Smith and the Lieutenant of the Tower, and
there they sat talking and drinking till past midnight, and mighty merry
we were, the Lieutenant of the Tower being in a mighty vein of singing,
and he hath a very good eare and strong voice, but no manner of skill.
Sir G. Smith shewed me his lady's closett, which was very fine; and,
after being very merry, here I lay in a noble chamber, and mighty highly
treated, the first time I have lain in London a long time.

28th. Up before day, and Cocke and I took a hackney coach appointed with
four horses to take us up, and so carried us over London Bridge. But
there, thinking of some business, I did 'light at the foot of the
bridge, and by helpe of a candle at a stall, where some payers were at
work, I wrote a letter to Mr. Hater, and never knew so great an instance
of the usefulness of carrying pen and ink and wax about one: so we, the
way being very bad, to Nonesuch, and thence to Sir Robert Longs house; a
fine place, and dinner time ere we got thither; but we had breakfasted a
little at Mr. Gawden's, he being out of towne though, and there borrowed
Dr. Taylor's sermons, and is a most excellent booke and worth my buying,
where had a very good dinner, and curiously dressed, and here a couple
of ladies, kinswomen of his, not handsome though, but rich, that knew me
by report of The. Turner, and mighty merry we were. After dinner to talk
of our business, the Act of Parliament, where in short I see Sir R. Long
mighty fierce in the great good qualities of it. But in that and many
other things he was stiff in, I think without much judgement, or
the judgement I expected from him, and already they have evaded the
necessity of bringing people into the Exchequer with their bills to be
paid there. Sir G. Carteret is titched--[fretful, tetchy]--a