all receive orders from my
Lord Chancellor and Mr. Edward Montagu. At all which my heart is above
measure glad; for my Lord's honour, and some profit to myself, I hope.
By and by, out with Mr. Shepley Walden, Parliament-man for Huntingdon,
Rolt, Mackworth, and Alderman Backwell, to a house hard by, to drink
Lambeth ale. So I back to the Wardrobe, and there found my Lord going to
Trinity House, this being the solemn day of choosing Master, and my Lord
is chosen, so he dines there to-day. I staid and dined with my Lady;
but after we were set, comes in some persons of condition, and so the
children and I rose and dined by ourselves, all the children and I,
and were very merry and they mighty fond of me. Then to the office, and
there sat awhile. So home and at night to bed, where we lay in Sir R.
Slingsby's lodgings in the dining room there in one green bed, my house
being now in its last work of painting and whiting.

11th. At the office this morning, Sir G. Carteret with us; and we agreed
upon a letter to the Duke of York, to tell him the sad condition of this
office for want of money; how men are not able to serve us more without
some money; and that now the credit of the office is brought so low,
that none will sell us any thing without our personal security given
for the same. All the afternoon abroad about several businesses, and at
night home and to bed.

12th. Wednesday, a day kept between a fast and a feast, the Bishops not
being ready enough to keep the fast for foul weather before fair weather
came; and so they were forced to keep it between both.

[A Form of Prayer was published to be used in London on the 12th,
and in the country on the 19th of June, being the special days
appointed for a general fast to be kept in the respective places for
averting those sicknesses and diseases, that dearth and scarcity,
which justly may be feared from the late immoderate rain and waters:
for a thanksgiving also for the blessed change of weather; and the
begging the continuance of it to us for our comfort: And likewise
for beseeching a Blessing upon the High Court of Parliament now
assembled: Set forth by his Majesty's authority. A sermon was
preached before the Commons by Thomas Greenfield, preacher of
Lincoln's Inn. The Lords taxed themselves for the poor--an earl,
30s., a baron, 20s. Those absent from prayers were to pay a
forfeit.--B.]

I to Whitehall,