went with my wife, and left her at
market, and went myself to the Coffee-house, and heard exceeding good
argument against Mr. Harrington's assertion, that overbalance of propriety
[i.e., property] was the foundation of government. Home, and wrote to
Hinchinbroke, and sent that and my other letter that missed of going on
Thursday last. So to bed.

15th. Having been exceedingly disturbed in the night with the barking of
a dog of one of our neighbours that I could not sleep for an hour or two,
I slept late, and then in the morning took physic, and so staid within all
day. At noon my brother John came to me, and I corrected as well as I
could his Greek speech to say the Apposition, though I believe he himself
was as well able to do it as myself. After that we went to read in the
great Officiale about the blessing of bells in the Church of Rome. After
that my wife and I in pleasant discourse till night, then I went to
supper, and after that to make an end of this week's notes in this book,
and so to bed. It being a cold day and a great snow my physic did not
work so well as it should have done.

16th. In the morning I went up to Mr. Crew's, and at his bedside he gave
me direction to go to-morrow with Mr. Edward to Twickenham, and likewise
did talk to me concerning things of state; and expressed his mind how just
it was that the secluded members should come to sit again. I went from
thence, and in my way went into an alehouse and drank my morning draft
with Matthew Andrews and two or three more of his friends, coachmen. And
of one of them I did hire a coach to carry us to-morrow to Twickenham.
From thence to my office, where nothing to do; but Mr. Downing he came and
found me all alone; and did mention to me his going back into Holland, and
did ask me whether I would go or no, but gave me little encouragement, but
bid me consider of it; and asked me whether I did not think that Mr. Hawly
could perform the work of my office alone or no. I confess I was at a
great loss, all the day after, to bethink myself how to carry this
business. At noon, Harry Ethall came to me and went along with Mr.
Maylard by coach as far as Salsbury Court, and there we set him down, and
we went to the Clerks, where we came a little too late, but in a closet we
had a very good dinner by Mr. Pinkny's courtesy, and after dinner we had
pretty good singing, and one, Hazard, sung alone after the old fashion,
which was very much cried up, but I did