Diary, January 1667/68 | Page 8

rest of us that you are labouring to put out, will be
contented to be hanged, if we do not recover all that is past, if the King
will put the power into our hands, and adhere wholly to our advice;"
which saying as it was severe, so generally people have so little opinion
of those that are likely to be uppermost that they do mightily commend
my Lord Anglesey for this saying. From the Vice-Chamberlain up and
down the house till Chapel done, and then did speak with several that I
had a mind to, and so intending to go home, my Lady Carteret saw and
called me out of her window, and so would have me home with her to
Lincoln's Inn Fields to dinner, and there we met with my Lord Brereton,
and several other strangers, to dine there; and I find him a very sober
and serious, able man, and was in discourse too hard for the Bishop of
Chester, who dined there; and who, above all books lately wrote,
commending the matter and style of a late book, called "The Causes of
the Decay of Piety," I do resolve at his great commendation to buy it.
Here dined also Sir Philip Howard, a Barkeshire Howard, whom I did
once hear swear publickly and loud in the matted gallery that he had
not been at a wench in so long a time. He did take occasion to tell me at
the table that I have got great ground in the Parliament, by my ready
answers to all that was asked me there about the business of Chatham,
and they would never let me be out of employment, of which I made
little; but was glad to hear him, as well as others, say it. And he did say
also, relating to Commissioner Pett, that he did not think that he was
guilty of anything like a fault, that he was either able or concerned to

amend, but only the not carrying up of the ships higher, he meant; but
he said, three or four miles lower down, to Rochester Bridge, which is a
strange piece of ignorance in a Member of Parliament at such a time as
this, and after so many examinations in the house of this business; and
did boldly declare that he did think the fault to lie in my Lord
Middleton, who had the power of the place, to secure the boats that
were made ready by Pett, and to do anything that he thought fit, and
was much, though not altogether in the right, for Spragg, that
commanded the river, ought rather to be charged with the want of the
boats and the placing of them. After dinner, my Lord Brereton very
gentilely went to the organ, and played a verse very handsomely.
Thence after dinner away with Sir G. Carteret to White Hall, setting
down my Lord Brereton at my Lord Brouncker's, and there up and
down the house, and on the Queen's side, to see the ladies, and there
saw the Duchesse of York, whom few pay the respect they used, I think,
to her; but she bears all out, with a very great deal of greatness; that is
the truth of it. And so, it growing night, I away home by coach, and
there set my wife to read, and then comes Pelling, and he and I to sing a
little, and then sup and so to bed.

6th. Up, leaving my wife to get her ready, and the maids to get a supper
ready against night for our company; and I by coach to White Hall, and
there up and down the house, and among others met with Mr. Pierce,
by whom I find, as I was afeard from the folly of my wife, that he
understood that he and his wife was to dine at my house to-day,
whereas it was to sup; and therefore I, having done my business at
court, did go home to dinner, and there find Mr. Harris, by the like
mistake, come to dine with me. However, we did get a pretty dinner
ready for him; and there he and I to discourse of many things, and I do
find him a very excellent person, such as in my whole [acquaintances] I
do not know another better qualified for converse, whether in things of
his own trade, or of other kinds, a man of great understanding and
observation, and very agreeable in the manner of his discourse, and
civil as far as is possible. I was mightily pleased with his company; and
after dinner did take coach with him, and my wife and girl, to go to a
play, and to carry him thither to his own house. But I 'light