Diary, Nov/Dec 1661 | Page 9

I were godfathers,
and I did name the child Samuel. There was a company of pretty
women there in the chamber, but we staid not, but went with the
minister into another room and eat and drank, and at last, when most of
the women were gone, Sam and I went into my cozen Scott, who was
got off her bed, and so we staid and talked and were very merry, my
she-cozen, Stradwick, being godmother. And then I left my wife to go
home by coach, and I walked to the Temple about my law business,
and there received a subpoena for T. Trice. I carried it myself to him at
the usual house at Doctors Commons and did give it him, and so home
and to bed. It cost me 20s, between the midwife and the two nurses
to-day.

20th. To Westminster Hall by water in the morning, where I saw the
King going in his barge to the Parliament House; this being the first
day of their meeting again. And the Bishops, I hear, do take their places
in the Lords House this day. I walked long in the Hall, but hear nothing
of news, but what Ned Pickering tells me, which I am troubled at, that
Sir J. Minnes should send word to the King, that if he did not remove
all my Lord Sandwich's captains out of this fleet, he believed the King
would not be master of the fleet at its coming again: and so do
endeavour to bring disgrace upon my Lord. But I hope all that will not
do, for the King loves him. Hence by water to the Wardrobe, and dined
with my Lady, my Lady Wright being there too, whom I find to be a
witty but very conceited woman and proud. And after dinner Mr.
Moore and I to the Temple, and there he read my bill and likes it well
enough, and so we came back again, he with me as far as the lower end
of Cheapside, and there I gave him a pint of sack and parted, and I
home, and went seriously to look over my papers touching T. Trice,
and I think I have found some that will go near to do me more good in
this difference of ours than all I have before. So to bed with my mind
cheery upon it, and lay long reading "Hobbs his Liberty and Necessity,"
and a little but very shrewd piece, and so to sleep.

21st. In the morning again at looking over my last night's papers, and
by and by comes Mr. Moore, who finds that my papers may do me
much good. He staid and dined with me, and we had a good surloyne of
rost beefe, the first that ever I had of my own buying since I kept house;
and after dinner he and I to the Temple, and there showed Mr.
Smallwood my papers, who likes them well, and so I left them with
him, and went with Mr. Moore to Gray's Inn to his chamber, and there
he shewed me his old Camden's "Britannica", which I intend to buy of
him, and so took it away with me, and left it at St. Paul's Churchyard to
be bound, and so home and to the office all the afternoon; it being the
first afternoon that we have sat, which we are now to do always, so
long as the Parliament sits, who this day have voted the King L
120,000
[A mistake. According to the journals, L1,200,000. And see Diary,
February 29th, 1663-64.--M. B.]

to be raised to pay his debts. And after the office with Sir W. Batten to
the Dolphin, and drank and left him there, and I again to the Temple
about my business, and so on foot home again and to bed.

22nd. Within all the morning, and at noon with my wife, by
appointment to dinner at the Dolphin, where Sir W. Batten, and his
lady and daughter Matt, and Captain Cocke and his lady, a German
lady, but a very great beauty, and we dined together, at the spending of
some wagers won and lost between him and I; and there we had the
best musique and very good songs, and were very merry and danced,
but I was most of all taken with Madam Cocke and her little boy, which
in mirth his father had given to me. But after all our mirth comes a
reckoning of L4, besides 40s. to the musicians, which did trouble us,
but it must be paid, and so I took leave and left them there about eight
at night. And on foot went to the Temple, and then took my cozen
Turner's man Roger, and went by