efore I went, I was satisfied it will be an excellent
picture. Here we had ale and cakes and mighty merry, and sung my song,
which she [Knipp] now sings bravely, and makes me proud of myself.
Thence left my wife to go home with Mrs. Pierce, while I home to the
office, and there pretty late, and to bed, after fitting myself for
to-morrow's journey.

25th (Lord's day). My wife up between three and four of the clock in the
morning to dress herself, and I about five, and were all ready to take
coach, she and I and Mercer, a little past five, but, to our trouble,
the coach did not come till six. Then with our coach of four horses
I hire on purpose, and Leshmore to ride by, we through the City to
Branford and so to Windsor, Captain Ferrers overtaking us at Kensington,
being to go with us, and here drank, and so through, making no stay, to
Cranborne, about eleven o'clock, and found my Lord and the ladies at a
sermon in the house; which being ended we to them, and all the company
glad to see us, and mighty merry to dinner. Here was my Lord, and Lord
Hinchingbroke, and Mr. Sidney, Sir Charles Herbert, and Mr. Carteret, my
Lady Carteret, my Lady Jemimah, and Lady Slaning. After dinner to talk
to and again, and then to walke in the Parke, my Lord and I alone,
talking upon these heads; first, he has left his business of the prizes
as well as is possible for him, having cleared himself before the
Commissioners by the King's commands, so that nothing or little is to
be feared from that point, he goes fully assured, he tells me, of the
King's favour. That upon occasion I may know, I desired to know, his
friends I may trust to, he tells me, but that he is not yet in England,
but continues this summer in Ireland, my Lord Orrery is his father
almost in affection. He tells me my Lord of Suffolke, Lord Arlington,
Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Treasurer, Mr. Atturny Montagu, Sir
Thomas Clifford in the House of Commons, Sir G. Carteret, and some
others I cannot presently remember, are friends that I may rely on for
him. He tells me my Lord Chancellor seems his very good friend, but
doubts that he may not think him so much a servant of the Duke of
Yorke's as he would have him, and indeed my Lord tells me he hath lately
made it his business to be seen studious of the King's favour, and not
of the Duke's, and by the King will stand or fall, for factions there
are, as he tells me, and God knows how high they may come. The Duke of
Albemarle's po