about our
business, thinking our business of tickets would come before the House
to-day, but we did alter our minds about the petition to the House,
sending in the paper to them. But the truth is we were in a great hurry,
but it fell out that they were most of the morning upon the business
of not prosecuting the first victory; which they have voted one of the
greatest miscarriages of the whole war, though they cannot lay the fault
anywhere yet, because Harman is not come home. This kept them all the
morning, which I was glad of. So down to the Hall, where my wife by
agreement stayed for me at Mrs. Michell's, and there was Mercer and the
girl, and I took them to Wilkinson's the cook's in King Street (where
I find the master of the house hath been dead for some time), and there
dined, and thence by one o'clock to the King's house: a new play, "The
Duke of Lerma," of Sir Robert Howard's: where the King and Court was;
and Knepp and Nell spoke the prologue most excellently, especially
Knepp, who spoke beyond any creature I ever, heard. The play designed to
reproach our King with his mistresses, that I was troubled for it, and
expected it should be interrupted; but it ended all well, which salved
all. The play a well-writ and good play, only its design I did not like
of reproaching the King, but altogether a very good and most serious
play. Thence home, and there a little to the office, and so home to
supper, where Mercer with us, and sang, and then to bed.

21st. At the office all the morning to get a little business done, I
having, and so the whole office, been put out of doing any business
there for this week by our trouble in attending the Parliament. Hither
comes to me young Captain Beckford, the slopseller, and there presents
me a little purse with gold in it, it being, as he told me, for his
present to me, at the end of the last year. I told him I had not done
him any service I knew of. He persisted, and I refused, but did at
several denials; and telling him that it was not an age to take presents
in, he told me he had reason to present me with something, and desired
me to accept of it, which, at his so urging me, I did, and so fell to
talk of his business, and so parted. I do not know of any manner of
kindness I have done him this last year, nor did expect any thing. It
was therefore very welcome to me, but yet I was not fully satisfied in
my taking it, because of my submitting myself to the having it objected
agains