. Coventry should take all this care for
him, to send for him up only to look after his Irish business with my
Lord Ormond and to get the Duke's leave for him to come with so much
officiousness, when I am sure he knows him as well as I do as to his
little service he do.

19th (Lord's day). Up, and all the morning and afternoon (only at dinner
at home) at my office doing many businesses for want of time on the week
days. In the afternoon the greatest shower of rain of a sudden and the
greatest and most continued thunder that ever I heard I think in my
life. In the evening home to my wife, and there talked seriously of
several of our family concernments, and among others of bringing Pall
out of the country to us here to try to put her off, which I am very
desirous, and my wife also of. So to supper, prayers, which I have of
late too much omitted. So to bed.

20th. It having been a very cold night last night I had got some cold,
and so in pain by wind, and a sure precursor of pain is sudden letting
off farts, and when that stops, then my passages stop and my pain
begins. Up and did several businesses, and so with my wife by water to
White Hall, she to her father's, I to the Duke, where we did our usual
business. And among other discourse of the Dutch, he was merrily saying
how they print that Prince Rupert, Duke of Albemarle, and my Lord
Sandwich, are to be Generalls; and soon after is to follow them "Vieux
Pen;" and so the Duke called him in mirth Old Pen. They have, it seems,
lately wrote to the King, to assure him that their setting-out ships
were only to defend their fishing-trade, and to stay near home, not to
annoy the King's subjects; and to desire that he would do the like with
his ships: which the King laughs at, but yet is troubled they should
think him such a child, to suffer them to bring home their fish and East
India Company's ships, and then they will not care a fart for us. Thence
to Westminster Hall, it being term time, meeting Mr. Dickering, he tells
me how my Lady last week went to see Mrs. Becke, the mother; and by and
by the daughter came in, but that my Lady do say herself, as he says,
that she knew not for what reason, for she never knew they had a
daughter, which I do not believe. She was troubled, and her heart did
rise as soon as she appeared, and seems the most ugly woman that ever
she saw. This if true were strange, but I believe it is not. Thence to
my Lord's lodgings; and were merry with the