By and by I
met with Mr. Wren, who tells me that the Duke of York is in as good
condition as is possible for a man, in his condition of the smallpox.
He, I perceive, is mightily concerned in the business of my Lord
Chancellor, the impeachment against whom is gone up to the House of
Lords; and great differences there are in the Lords' House about it, and
the Lords are very high one against another. Thence home to dinner, and
as soon as dinner done I and my wife and Willet to the Duke of York's,
house, and there saw the Tempest again, which is very pleasant, and full
of so good variety that I cannot be more pleased almost in a comedy,
only the seamen's part a little too tedious. Thence home, and there to
my chamber, and do begin anew to bind myself to keep my old vows, and
among the rest not to see a play till Christmas but once in every other
week, and have laid aside L10, which is to be lost to the poor, if I do.
This I hope in God will bind me, for I do find myself mightily wronged
in my reputation, and indeed in my purse and business, by my late
following of my pleasure for so long time as I have done. So to supper
and then to bed. This day Mr. Chichly told me, with a seeming trouble,
that the House have stopped his son Jack (Sir John) his going to France,
that he may be a witness against my Lord Sandwich: which do trouble me,
though he can, I think, say little.

14th. At the office close all the morning. At noon, all my clerks with
me to dinner, to a venison pasty; and there comes Creed, and dined with
me, and he tells me how high the Lords were in the Lords' House about
the business of the Chancellor, and that they are not yet agreed to
impeach him. After dinner, he and I, and my wife and girl, the latter
two to their tailor's, and he and I to the Committee of the Treasury,
where I had a hearing, but can get but L6000 for the pay of the
garrison, in lieu of above L16,000; and this Alderman Backewell gets
remitted there, and I am glad of it. Thence by coach took up my wife and
girl, and so home, and set down Creed at Arundell House, going to the
Royal Society, whither I would be glad to go, but cannot. Thence home,
and to the Office, where about my letters, and so home to supper, and to
bed, my eyes being bad again; and by this means, the nights, now-a-days,
do become very long to me, longer than I can sleep out.

15th. Up, and to Alderman Backewell's

[Edward Backwell, goldsmith and alderman of the City of L