ce, about a bill for prest money,

[Money paid to men who enlist into the public service; press money.
So called because those who receive it are to be prest or ready when
called on ("Encyclopaedic Dictionary ").]

for men sent out of the country and the countries about him to the
fleete the last year; but, Lord! to see the natures of men; how this
man, hearing of my name, did ask me of my country, and told me of my
cozen Roger, that he was not so wise a man as his father; for that he
do not agree in Parliament with his fellow burgesses and knights of
the shire, whereas I know very well the reason; for he is not so high a
flyer as Mr. Chichley and others, but loves the King better than any of
them, and to better purpose. But yet, he says that he is a very honest
gentleman, and thence runs into a hundred stories of his own services to
the King, and how he at this day brings in the taxes before anybody here
thinks they are collected: discourse very absurd to entertain a stranger
with. He being gone, and I glad of it, I home then to dinner. After
dinner with my wife by coach abroad, andset Mr. Hunt down at the Temple
and her at her brother's, and I to White Hall to meet [Sir] W. Coventry,
but found him not, but met Mr. Cooling, who tells me of my Lord Duke of
Buckingham's being sent for last night, by a Serjeant at Armes, to the
Tower, for treasonable practices, and that the King is infinitely angry
with him, and declared him no longer one of his Council. I know not the
reason of it, or occasion. To Westminster Hall, and there paid what I
owed for books, and so by coach, took up my wife to the Exchange, and
there bought things for Mrs. Pierces little daughter, my Valentine, and
so to their house, where we find Knipp, who also challengeth me for her
Valentine. She looks well, sang well, and very merry we were for half
an hour. Tells me Harris is well again, having been very ill, and so we
home, and I to the office; then, at night, to Sir W. Pen's, and sat with
my Lady, and the young couple (Sir William out of town) talking merrily;
but they make a very sorry couple, methinks, though rich. So late home
and to bed.

28th. Up, and there comes to me Drumbleby with a flageolet, made to suit
with my former and brings me one Greeting, a master, to teach my wife.
I agree by the whole with him to teach her to take out any lesson of
herself for L4. She was not ready to begin to-day, but do to-morrow. So
I to the offi