Diary, February 1666/67 | Page 8

had hopes
to get her out alone, but missed, and so away by coach home, and to Sir
W. Batten's, to tell him my bad news, and then to the office, and home
to supper, where Mrs. Hewer was, and after supper and she gone, W.
Hewer talking with me very late of the ill manner of Sir G. Carteret's
accounts being kept, and in what a sad condition he would be if either
Fenn or Wayth should break or die, and am resolved to take some time
to tell Sir G. Carteret or my Lady of it, I do love them so well and their
family. So to bed, my pain pretty well gone.

7th. Lay long with pleasure with my wife, and then up and to the office,
where all the morning, and then home to dinner, and before dinner I
went into my green dining room, and there talking with my brother
upon matters relating to his journey to Brampton to-morrow, and
giving him good counsel about spending the time when he shall stay in
the country with my father, I looking another way heard him fall down,
and turned my head, and he was fallen down all along upon the ground

dead, which did put me into a great fright; and, to see my brotherly love!
I did presently lift him up from the ground, he being as pale as death;
and, being upon his legs, he did presently come to himself, and said he
had something come into his stomach very hot. He knew not what it
was, nor ever had such a fit before. I never was so frighted but once,
when my wife was ill at Ware upon the road, and I did continue
trembling a good while and ready to weepe to see him, he continuing
mighty pale all dinner and melancholy, that I was loth to let him take
his journey tomorrow; but he began to be pretty well, and after dinner
my wife and Barker fell to singing, which pleased me pretty well, my
wife taking mighty pains and proud that she shall come to trill, and
indeed I think she will. So to the office, and there all the afternoon late
doing business, and then home, and find my brother pretty well. So to
write a letter to my Lady Sandwich for him to carry, I having not writ
to her a great while. Then to supper and so to bed. I did this night give
him 20s. for books, and as much for his pocket, and 15s. to carry him
down, and so to bed. Poor fellow! he is so melancholy, and withal, my
wife says, harmless, that I begin to love him, and would be loth he
should not do well.

8th. This morning my brother John come up to my bedside, and took
his leave of us, going this day to Brampton. My wife loves him
mightily as one that is pretty harmless, and I do begin to fancy him
from yesterday's accident, it troubling me to think I should be left
without a brother or sister, which is the first time that ever I had
thoughts of that kind in my life. He gone, I up, and to the office, where
we sat upon the Victuallers' accounts all the morning. At noon Lord
Bruncker, Sir W. Batten, [Sir] W. Pen, and myself to the Swan in
Leadenhall Street to dinner, where an exceedingly good dinner and
good discourse. Sir W. Batten come this morning from the House,
where the King hath prorogued this Parliament to October next. I am
glad they are up. The Bill for Accounts was not offered, the party being
willing to let it fall; but the King did tell them he expected it. They are
parted with great heartburnings, one party against the other. Pray God
bring them hereafter together in better temper! It is said that the King
do intend himself in this interval to take away Lord Mordaunt's
government, so as to do something to appease the House against they

come together, and let them see he will do that of his own accord which
is fit, without their forcing him; and that he will have his Commission
for Accounts go on which will be good things. At dinner we talked
much of Cromwell; all saying he was a brave fellow, and did owe his
crowne he got to himself as much as any man that ever got one. Thence
to the office, and there begun the account which Sir W. Pen by his late
employment hath examined, but begun to examine it in the old manner,
a clerk to read the Petty warrants, my Lord Bruncker upon very good
ground did except against it, and would not suffer