vening comes Mr. Pelling and the two men that were with him
formerly, the little man that sings so good a base (Wallington) and
another that understands well, one Pigott, and Betty Turner come and
sat and supped with us, and we spent the evening mighty well in good
musique, to my great content to see myself in condition to have these
and entertain them for my own pleasure only. So they gone, we to bed.
2nd. Up, and then abroad to Alderman Backewell's (who was sick of a cold
in bed), and then to the Excise Office, where I find Mr. Ball out of
humour in expectation of being put out of his office by the change of
the farm of the excise. There comes Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I to
Westminster, and there walked up and down till noon, where all the
business is that the Lords' answer is come down to the Commons, that
they are not satisfied in the Commons' Reasons: and so the Commons are
hot, and like to sit all day upon the business what to do herein, most
thinking that they will remonstrate against the Lords. Thence to Lord
Crew's, and there dined with him; where, after dinner, he took me aside,
and bewailed the condition of the nation, how the King and his brother
are at a distance about this business of the Chancellor, and the two
Houses differing. And he do believe that there are so many about the
King like to be concerned and troubled by the Parliament, that they will
get him to dissolve or prorogue the Parliament; and the rather, for that
the King is likely, by this good husbandry of the Treasury, to get out
of debt, and the Parliament is likely to give no money. Among other
things, my Lord Crew did tell me, with grief, that he hears that the
King of late hath not dined nor supped with the Queen, as he used of
late to do. After a little discourse, Mr. Caesar, he dining there, did
give us some musique on his lute (Mr. John Crew being there) to my great
content, and then away I, and Mr. Caesar followed me and told me that my
boy Tom hath this day declared to him that he cared not for the French
lute and would learn no more, which Caesar out of faithfulness tells me
that I might not spend any more money on him in vain. I shall take the
boy to task about it, though I am contented to save my money if the boy
knows not what is good for himself. So thanked him, and indeed he is a
very honest man I believe, and away home, there to get something ready
for the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, and so took my wife and
girle and
|