Diary, Mar/Apr 1661/62 | Page 5

office about despatching of the East
India ships, where we staid till 8 at night, and then after I had been at
Sir W. Pen's awhile discoursing with him and Mr. Kenard the joiner
about the new building in his house, I went home, where I found a
vessel of oysters sent me from Chatham, so I fell to eat some and then
to supper, and so after the barber had done to bed. I am told that this
day the Parliament hath voted 2s. per annum for every chimney in
England, as a constant revenue for ever to the Crown.
[Although fumage or smoke money was as old as the Conquest, the

first parliamentary levy of hearth or chimney money was by statute 13
and 14 Car. II., c. 10, which gave the king an hereditary revenue of two
shillings annually upon every hearth in all houses paying church or
poor rate. This act was repealed by statute I William and Mary, c. 10, it
being declared in the preamble as "not only a great oppression to the
poorer sort, but a badge of slavery upon the whole people, exposing
every man's house to be entered into and searched at pleasure by
persons unknown to him."]

4th. At the office all the morning, dined at home at noon, and then to
the office again in the afternoon to put things in order there, my mind
being very busy in settling the office to ourselves, I having now got
distinct offices for the other two. By and by Sir W. Pen and I and my
wife in his coach to Moore Fields, where we walked a great while,
though it was no fair weather and cold; and after our walk we went to
the Pope's Head, and eat cakes and other fine things, and so home, and
I up to my chamber to read and write, and so to bed.

5th. In the morning to the Painter's about my little picture. Thence to
Tom's about business, and so to the pewterer's, to buy a poore's-box to
put my forfeits in, upon breach of my late vows. So to the Wardrobe
and dined, and thence home and to my office, and there sat looking
over my papers of my voyage, when we fetched over the King, and tore
so many of these that were worth nothing, as filled my closet as high as
my knees. I staid doing this till 10 at night, and so home and to bed.

6th. Up early, my mind full of business, then to the office, where the
two Sir Williams and I spent the morning passing the victualler's
accounts, the first I have had to do withal. Then home, where my Uncle
Thomas (by promise and his son Tom) were come to give me his
answer whether he would have me go to law or arbitracon with him,
but he is unprovided to answer me, and desires two days more. I left
them to dine with my wife, and myself to Mr. Gauden and the two
knights at dinner at the Dolphin, and thence after dinner to the office
back again till night, we having been these four or five days very full of
business, and I thank God I am well pleased with it, and hope I shall
continue of that temper, which God grant. So after a little being at Sir

W. Batten's with Sir G. Carteret talking, I went home, and so to my
chamber, and then to bed, my mind somewhat troubled about Brampton
affairs. This night my new camelott riding coat to my coloured cloth
suit came home. More news to-day of our losses at Brampton by the
late storm.

7th. Early to White Hall to the chappell, where by Mr. Blagrave's
means I got into his pew, and heard Dr. Creeton, the great Scotchman,
preach before the King, and Duke and Duchess, upon the words of
Micah:--" Roule yourselves in dust." He made a most learned sermon
upon the words; but, in his application, the most comical man that ever
I heard in my life. Just such a man as Hugh Peters; saying that it had
been better for the poor Cavalier never to have come with the King into
England again; for he that hath the impudence to deny obedience to the
lawful magistrate, and to swear to the oath of allegiance, &c., was
better treated now-a-days in Newgate, than a poor Royalist, that hath
suffered all his life for the King, is at White Hall among his friends. He
discoursed much against a man's lying with his wife in Lent, saying
that he might be as incontinent during that time with his own wife as at
another time in another man's bed. Thence with Mr.