in the annals of this
country."--B.]

of his being forced by imprisonment, &c., by my Lord Gerard, most
barbarously to confess his forging of a deed in behalf of Fitton, in the
great case between him [Fitton] and my Lord Gerard; which business is
under examination, and is the foulest against my Lord Gerard that ever
any thing in the world was, and will, all do believe, ruine him; and I
shall be glad of it. Thence with Lord Brouncker and T. Harvey as far as
the New Exchange, and there at a draper's shop drawing up a short note
of what they are to desire of the House for our having a hearing before
they determine any thing against us, which paper is for them to show to
what friends they meet against to-morrow, I away home to the office, and
there busy pretty late, and here comes my wife to me, who hath been at
Pegg Pen's christening, which, she says, hath made a flutter and noise;
but was as mean as could be, and but little company, just like all the
rest that that family do. So home to supper and to bed, with my head
full of a defence before the Parliament tomorrow, and therein content
myself very well, and with what I have done in preparing some of the
members thereof in order thereto.

22nd. Up, and by coach through Ducke Lane, and there did buy Kircher's
Musurgia, cost me 35s., a book I am mighty glad of, expecting to find
great satisfaction in it. Thence to Westminster Hall and the lobby, and
up and down there all the morning, and to the Lords' House, and heard
the Solicitor-General plead very finely, as he always do; and this was
in defence of the East India Company against a man that complains of
wrong from them, and thus up and down till noon in expectation of our
business coming on in the House of Commons about tickets, but they being
busy about my Lord Gerard's business I did give over the thoughts of
ours coming on, and so with my wife, and Mercer, and Deb., who come to
the Hall to me, I away to the Beare, in Drury Lane, and there bespoke a
dish of meat; and, in the mean time, sat and sung with Mercer; and, by
and by, dined with mighty pleasure, and excellent meat, one little dish
enough for us all, and good wine, and all for 8s., and thence to the
Duke's playhouse, and there saw "Albumazar," an old play, this the
second time of acting. It is said to have been the ground of B. Jonson's
"Alchymist;" but, saving the ridicuiousnesse of Angell's part, which
is called Trinkilo, I do not see any thing extraord