visit me,
but my business suffered me not to stay with him. So he gone I by water
to Westminster Hall and thence to St. James's, and there found [Sir] W.
Coventry waiting for me, and I did give him a good account to his mind
of the business he expected about extraordinaries and then fell to
other talke, among others, our sad condition contracted by want of a
Comptroller;

[As Sir John Minnes performed the duties inefficiently, it was
considered necessary to take the office from him: See January 21st.]

and it was his words, that he believes, besides all the shame and
trouble he hath brought on the office, the King had better have given
L100,000 than ever have had him there. He did discourse about some of
these discontented Parliament-men, and says that Birch is a false rogue,
but that Garraway is a man that hath not been well used by the Court,
though very stout to death, and hath suffered all that is possible for
the King from the beginning. But discontented as he is, yet he never
knew a Session of Parliament but he hath done some good deed for the
King before it rose. I told him the passage Cocke told me of his having
begged a brace of bucks of the Lord Arlington for him, and when it come
to him, he sent it back again. Sir W. Coventry told me, it is much to
be pitied that the King should lose the service of a man so able and
faithfull; and that he ought to be brought over, but that it is always
observed, that by bringing over one discontented man, you raise up
three in his room; which is a State lesson I never knew before. But when
others discover your fear, and that discontent procures favour, they
will be discontented too, and impose on you. Thence to White Hall and
got a coach and home, and there did business late, and so home and set
up my little books of one of my presses come home gilt, which pleases
me mightily, and then to bed. This morning my wife told me of a fine
gentlewoman my Lady Pen tells her of, for L20 per annum, that sings,
dances, plays on four or five instruments and many other fine things,
which pleases me mightily: and she sent to have her see her, which she
did this afternoon; but sings basely, and is a tawdry wench that would
take L8, but [neither] my wife nor I think her fit to come.

7th (Lord's day). Up, and after visiting my father in his chamber, to
church, and then home to dinner. Little Michell and his wife come to
dine with us, which they did, and then presently after dinner