y witty and
pleasant. And the women do very well; but, above all, little Nelly; that
I am mightily pleased with the play, and much with the House, more than
ever I expected, the women doing better than ever I expected, and very
fine women. Here I was in pain to be seen, and hid myself; but, as God
would have it, Sir John Chichly come, and sat just by me. Thence to Mrs.
Pierce's, and there took up my wife and away home, and to the office
and Sir W. Batten's, of whom I hear that this Proviso in Parliament is
mightily ill taken by all the Court party as a mortal blow, and that,
that strikes deep into the King's prerogative, which troubles me
mightily. Home, and set some papers right in my chamber, and then to
supper and to bed, we being in much fear of ill news of our colliers. A
fleete of two hundred sail, and fourteen Dutch men-of-war between them
and us and they coming home with small convoy; and the City in great
want, coals being at L3 3s. per chaldron, as I am told. I saw smoke in
the ruines this very day.

9th (Lord's day). Up, not to church, but to my chamber, and there begun
to enter into this book my journall of September, which in the fire-time
I could not enter here, but in loose papers. At noon dined, and then
to my chamber all the afternoon and night, looking over and tearing and
burning all the unnecessary letters, which I have had upon my file for
four or five years backward, which I intend to do quite through all my
papers, that I may have nothing by me but what is worth keeping, and fit
to be seen, if I should miscarry. At this work till midnight, and then
to supper and to bed.

10th. Up, and at my office all the morning, and several people with me,
Sir W. Warren, who I do every day more and more admire for a miracle of
cunning and forecast in his business, and then Captain Cocke, with whom
I walked in the garden, and he tells me how angry the Court is at the
late Proviso brought in by the House. How still my Lord Chancellor is,
not daring to do or say any thing to displease the Parliament; that the
Parliament is in a very ill humour, and grows every day more and more
so; and that the unskilfulness of the Court, and their difference among
one another, is the occasion of all not agreeing in what they would
have, and so they give leisure and occasion to the other part to run
away with what the Court would not have. Then comes Mr. Gawden, and he
and I in my chamber discoursing about his business, and to pay