how there was like to be many factions at Court between Marquis Ormond,
General Monk, and the Lord Roberts, about the business of Ireland; as
there is already between the two Houses about the Act of Indemnity; and
in the House of Commons, between the Episcopalian and Presbyterian men.
Hence to my father's (walking with Mr. Herring, the minister of St.
Bride's), and took them to the Sun Tavern, where I found George, my old
drawer, come again. From thence by water, landed them at Blackfriars,
and so home and to bed.

23rd. By water to Doctors' Commons to Dr. Walker, to give him my Lord's
papers to view over concerning his being empowered to be Vice-Admiral
under the Duke of York. There meeting with Mr. Pinkney, he and I to
a morning draft, and thence by water to White Hall, to the Parliament
House, where I spoke with Colonel Birch, and so to the Admiralty
chamber, where we and Mr. Coventry had a meeting about several
businesses. Amongst others, it was moved that Phineas Pett (kinsman to
the Commissioner) of Chatham, should be suspended his employment till
he had answered some articles put in against him, as that he should
formerly say that the King was a bastard and his mother a whore. Hence
to Westminster Hall, where I met with my father Bowyer, and Mr. Spicer,
and them I took to the Leg in King Street, and did give them a dish or
two of meat, and so away to the Privy Seal, where, the King being out
of town, we have had nothing to do these two days. To Westminster Hall,
where I met with W. Symons, T. Doling, and Mr. Booth, and with them to
the Dogg, where we eat a musk melon

["Melons were hardly known in England till Sir George Gardiner
brought one from Spain, when they became in general estimation. The
ordinary price was five or six shillings."--Quarterly Review, vol,
xix.]

(the first that I have eat this year), and were very merry with W.
Symons, calling him Mr. Dean, because of the Dean's lands that his uncle
had left him, which are like to be lost all. Hence home by water, and
very late at night writing letters to my Lord to Hinchinbroke, and also
to the Vice-Admiral in the Downs, and so to bed.

24th. Office, and thence with Sir William Batten and Sir William Pen to
the parish church to find out a place where to build a seat or a gallery
to sit in, and did find one which is to be done speedily. Hence with
them to dinner at a tavern in Thames Street, where they were invited to
a roasted hau