selves secure that those Bills will pass; which they
do observe the Court to keep off till all the Bills come together, that
the King may accept what he pleases, and what he pleases to reject,
which will undo all our business and the kingdom too. He tells me how
Mr. Henry Howard, of Norfolke, hath given our Royal Society all his
grandfather's library: which noble gift they value at L1000; and gives
them accommodation to meet in at his house, Arundell House, they being
now disturbed at Gresham College. Thence 'lighting at the Temple to the
ordinary hard by and eat a bit of meat, and then by coach to fetch
my wife from her brother's, and thence to the Duke's house, and saw
"Macbeth," which, though I saw it lately, yet appears a most excellent
play in all respects, but especially in divertisement, though it be a
deep tragedy; which is a strange perfection in a tragedy, it being most
proper here, and suitable. So home, it being the last play now I am to
see till a fortnight hence, I being from the last night entered into my
vowes for the year coming on. Here I met with the good newes of Hogg's
bringing in two prizes more to Plymouth, which if they prove but any
part of them, I hope, at least, we shall be no losers by them. So home
from the office, to write over fair my vowes for this year, and then
to supper, and to bed. In great peace of mind having now done it, and
brought myself into order again and a resolution of keeping it, and
having entered my journall to this night, so to bed, my eyes failing me
with writing.

8th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon home
to dinner, where my uncle Thomas with me to receive his quarterage. He
tells me his son Thomas is set up in Smithfield, where he hath a shop--I
suppose, a booth. Presently after dinner to the office, and there set
close to my business and did a great deal before night, and am resolved
to stand to it, having been a truant too long. At night to Sir W.
Batten's to consider some things about our prizes, and then to other
talk, and among other things he tells me that he hears for certain that
Sir W. Coventry hath resigned to the King his place of Commissioner of
the Navy, the thing he bath often told me that he had a mind to do, but
I am surprised to think that he hath done it, and am full of thoughts
all this evening after I heard it what may be the consequences of it to
me. So home and to supper, and then saw the catalogue of my books, which