ot a coach and home, and there find Mr. Pelting and W. Hewer,
and there talked and supped, Pelting being gone, and mightily pleased
with a picture that W. Hewer brought hither of several things painted
upon a deale board, which board is so well painted that in my whole
life I never was so well pleased or surprized with any picture, and so
troubled that so good pictures should be painted upon a piece of bad
deale. Even after I knew that it was not board, but only the picture of
a board, I could not remove my fancy. After supper to bed, being very
sleepy, and, I bless God, my mind being at very good present rest.

16th. Up, to set my papers and books in order, and put up my plate since
my late feast, and then to Westminster, by water, with Mr. Hater, and
there, in the Hall, did walk all the morning, talking with one or other,
expecting to have our business in the House; but did now a third time
wait to no purpose, they being all this morning upon the business
of Barker's petition about the making void the Act of Settlement in
Ireland, which makes a great deal of hot work: and, at last, finding
that by all men's opinion they could not come to our matter today, I
with Sir W. Pen home, and there to dinner, where I find, by Willet's
crying, that her mistress had been angry with her: but I would take no
notice of it. Busy all the afternoon at the office, and then by coach to
the Excize Office, but lost my labour, there being nobody there, and
so back again home, and after a little at the office I home, and there
spent the evening with my wife talking and singing, and so to bed with
my mind pretty well at ease. This evening W. Pen and Sir R. Ford and I
met at the first's house to talk of our prize that is now at last come
safe over from Holland, by which I hope to receive some if not all the
benefit of my bargain with W. Batten for my share in it, which if she
had miscarried I should have doubted of my Lady Batten being left little
able to have paid me.

17th. Up betimes and to the office, where all the morning busy, and
then at noon home to dinner, and so again to the office awhile, and then
abroad to the Excize-Office, where I met Mr. Ball, and did receive the
paper I went for; and there fell in talk with him, who, being an old
cavalier, do swear and curse at the present state of things, that we
should be brought to this, that we must be undone and cannot be saved;
that the Parliament is sitting now, and will till midnight, t