tulate
my speech the other day in the House of Commons, and I find all the
world almost rings of it. Here spent the morning walking and talking
with one or other, and among the rest with Sir W. Coventry, who I find
full of care in his own business, how to defend himself against those
that have a mind to choke him; and though, I believe, not for honour
and for the keeping his employment, but for his safety and reputation's
sake, is desirous to preserve himself free from blame, and among other
mean ways which himself did take notice to me to be but a mean thing
he desires me to get information against Captain Tatnell, thereby to
diminish his testimony, who, it seems, hath a mind to do W. Coventry
hurt: and I will do it with all my heart; for Tatnell is a very rogue.
He would be glad, too, that I could find anything proper for his taking
notice against Sir F. Hollis. At noon, after sermon, I to dinner with
Sir G. Carteret to Lincoln's Inn Fields, where I find mighty deal of
company--a solemn day for some of his and her friends, and dine in the
great dining-room above stairs, where Sir G. Carteret himself, and
I, and his son, at a little table by, the great table being full of
strangers. Here my Lady Jem. do promise to come, and bring my Lord
Hinchingbroke and his lady some day this week, to dinner to me, which I
am glad of. After dinner, I up with her husband, Sir Philip Carteret,
to his closet, where, beyond expectation, I do find many pretty things,
wherein he appears to be ingenious, such as in painting, and drawing,
and making of watches, and such kind of things, above my expectation;
though, when all is done, he is a shirke, who owns his owing me L10 for
his lady two or three years ago, and yet cannot provide to pay me. The
company by and by parted, and G. Carteret and I to White Hall, where I
set him down and took his coach as far as the Temple, it raining, and
there took a hackney and home, and so had my head combed, and then to
bed.

9th. Up betimes, and anon with Sir W. Warren, who come to speak with me,
by coach to White Hall, and there met Lord Brouncker: and he and I to
the Commissioners of the Treasury, where I find them mighty kind to
me, more, I think, than was wont. And here I also met Colvill, the
goldsmith; who tells me, with great joy, how the world upon the 'Change
talks of me; and how several Parliamentmen, viz., Boscawen and Major
[Lionel] Walden, of Huntingdon, who, it seems, do deal with him, do say