bring in the petition
against Sir W. Coventry, which I am sorry for, but hope he will get out of
it. Here I presented Mrs. Pett and her condition to Mr. Wren for his
favour, which he promised us. Thence to Lord Brouncker and sat and talked
with him, who thinks the Parliament will, by their violence and delay in
money matters, force the King to run any hazard, and dissolve them.
Thence to Ducke Lane, and there did overlook a great many of Monsieur
Fouquet's library, that a bookseller hath bought, and I did buy one
Spanish [work], "Los Illustres Varones."

[Nicholas Fouquet, "Surintendant des Finances" in France, had built
at Vaux a house which surpassed in magnificence any palace belonging
to Louis XIV., prior to the erection of Versailles, and caused much
envy to all the Court, especially to Colbert. Fouquet died at
Pignerol in 1680, after nineteen years' incarceration; and whilst
Pepys was buying his books in London, Colbert had become prime
minister in France, and Colbert's brother ambassador in England.
The 'viper' had caught the 'squirrel'!--B.]

Here did I endeavour to see my pretty woman that I did baiser in las
tenebras a little while depuis. And did find her sofa in the book[shop],
but had not la confidence para alter a elle. So lost my pains. But will
another time, and so home and to my office, and then to dinner. After
dinner down to the Old Swan, and by the way called at Michell's, and there
did see Betty, and that was all, for either she is shy or foolish, and su
mardi hath no mind para laiser me see su moher. To White Hall by water,
and there did our business with the Duke of York, which was very little,
only here I do hear the Duke of York tell how Sir W. Pen's impeachment was
brought into the House of Lords to-day; and spoke with great kindness of
him: and that the Lords would not commit him till they could find
precedent for it, and did incline to favour him. Thence to the King's
playhouse, and there saw a piece of "Beggar's Bush," which I have not seen
some years, and thence home, and there to Sir W. Pen's and supped and sat
talking there late, having no where else to go, and my eyes too bad to
read right, and so home to bed.

25th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes to my Lord Brouncker, and with him all
of us to my Lord Ashly to satisfy him about the reason of what we do or
have done in the business of the tradesmen's certificates, which he seems
satisfied w