r business of Mr. Povy, and yet what a show he
makes in the world. Mr. Coventry not being come to his chamber, I walked
through the house with him for an hour in St. James's fields' talking of
the same subject, and then parted, and back and with great impatience,
sometimes reading, sometimes walking, sometimes thinking that Mr.
Coventry, though he invited us to dinner with him, was gone with the rest
of the office without a dinner. At last, at past 4 o'clock I heard that
the Parliament was not up yet, and so walked to Westminster Hall, and
there found it so, and meeting with Sir J. Minnes, and being very hungry,
went over with him to the Leg, and before we had cut a bit, the House
rises, however we eat a bit and away to St. James's and there eat a second
part of our dinner with Mr. Coventry and his brother Harry, Sir W. Batten
and Sir W. Pen. The great matter today in the House hath been, that Mr.
Vaughan, the great speaker, is this day come to towne, and hath declared
himself in a speech of an houre and a half, with great reason and
eloquence, against the repealing of the Bill for Triennial Parliaments;
but with no successe: but the House have carried it that there shall be
such Parliaments, but without any coercive power upon the King, if he will
bring this Act. But, Lord! to see how the best things are not done
without some design; for I perceive all these gentlemen that I was with
to-day were against it (though there was reason enough on their side); yet
purely, I could perceive, because it was the King's mind to have it; and
should he demand any thing else, I believe they would give it him. But
this the discontented Presbyters, and the faction of the House will be
highly displeased with; but it was carried clearly against them in the
House. We had excellent good table-talke, some of which I have entered in
my book of stories. So with them by coach home, and there find (bye my
wife), that Father Fogourdy hath been with her to-day, and she is mightily
for our going to hear a famous Reule preach at the French Embassador's
house: I pray God he do not tempt her in any matters of religion, which
troubles me; and also, she had messages from her mother to-day, who sent
for her old morning-gown, which was almost past wearing; and I used to
call it her kingdom, from the ease and content she used to have in the
wearing of it. I am glad I do not hear of her begging any thing of more
value, but I do not like that these mes