ament itself, which
will, if ever they meet, be vexed at Buckingham, who yet governs all. He
says the Nonconformists are glad of it, and, he believes, will get the
upperhand in a little time, for the King must trust to them or nobody; and
he thinks the King will be forced to it. He says that Sir D. Gawden is
mightily troubled at Pen's being put upon him, by the Duke of York, and
that he believes he will get clear of it, which, though it will trouble me
to have Pen still at the Office, yet I shall think D. Gawden do well in
it, and what I would advise him to, because I love him. So home to
dinner, and then with my wife alone abroad, with our new horses, the
beautifullest almost that ever I saw, and the first time they ever carried
her, and me but once; but we are mighty proud of them. To her tailor's,
and so to the 'Change, and laid out three or four pounds in lace, for her
and me; and so home, and there I up to my Lord Brouncker, at his lodgings,
and sat with him an hour, on purpose to talk over the wretched state of
this Office at present, according to the present hands it is made up of;
wherein he do fully concur with me, and that it is our part not only to
prepare for defending it and ourselves, against the consequences of it,
but to take the best ways we can, to make it known to the Duke of York;
for, till Sir J. Minnes be removed, and a sufficient man brought into W.
Pen's place, when he is gone, it is impossible for this Office ever to
support itself. So home, and to supper and to bed.

24th. A cold day. Up, and to the Office, where all the morning alone at
the Office, nobody meeting, being the eve of Christmas. At noon home to
dinner, and then to the Office busy, all the afternoon, and at night home
to supper, and it being now very cold, and in hopes of a frost, I begin
this night to put on a waistcoat, it being the first winter in my whole
memory that ever I staid till this day before I did so. So to bed in
mighty good humour with my wife, but sad, in one thing, and that is for my
poor eyes.

25th (Christmas-day). Up, and continued on my waistcoat, the first day
this winter, and I to church, where Alderman Backewell, coming in late, I
beckoned to his lady to come up to us, who did, with another lady; and
after sermon, I led her down through the church to her husband and coach,
a noble, fine woman, and a good one, and one my wife shall be acquainted
with. So home, and to dinner alone with my wife, who, p