Diary, November 1667 | Page 9

12th. Up, and to the Office, where sat all the morning; and there hear
the Duke of York do yet do very well with his smallpox: pray God he
may continue to do so! This morning also, to my astonishment, I hear
that yesterday my Lord Chancellor, to another of his Articles, that of
betraying the King's councils to his enemies, is voted to have matter
against him for an impeachment of High Treason, and that this day the
impeachment is to be carried up to the House of Lords which is very
high, and I am troubled at it; for God knows what will follow, since
they that do this must do more to secure themselves against any that
will revenge this, if it ever come in their power! At noon home to
dinner, and then to my office, and there saw every thing finished, so as
my papers are all in order again and my office twice as pleasant as ever
it was, having a noble window in my closet and another in my office, to
my great content, and so did business late, and then home to supper and
to bed.

13th. Up, and down to the Old Swan, and so to Westminster; where I
find the House sitting, and in a mighty heat about Commissioner Pett,
that they would have him impeached, though the Committee have yet
brought in but part of their Report: and this heat of the House is much
heightened by Sir Thomas Clifford telling them, that he was the man
that did, out of his own purse, employ people at the out-ports to prevent

the King of Scots to escape after the battle of Worcester. The House
was in a great heat all this day about it; and at last it was carried,
however, that it should be referred back to the Committee to make
further enquiry. I here spoke with Roger Pepys, who sent for me, and it
was to tell me that the Committee is mighty full of the business of
buying and selling of tickets, and to caution me against such an enquiry
(wherein I am very safe), and that they have already found out Sir
Richard Ford's son to have had a hand in it, which they take to be the
same as if the father had done it, and I do believe the father may be as
likely to be concerned in it as his son. But I perceive by him they are
resolved to find out the bottom of the business if it be possible. By and
by I met with Mr. Wren, who tells me that the Duke of York is in as
good condition as is possible for a man, in his condition of the
smallpox. He, I perceive, is mightily concerned in the business of my
Lord Chancellor, the impeachment against whom is gone up to the
House of Lords; and great differences there are in the Lords' House
about it, and the Lords are very high one against another. Thence home
to dinner, and as soon as dinner done I and my wife and Willet to the
Duke of York's, house, and there saw the Tempest again, which is very
pleasant, and full of so good variety that I cannot be more pleased
almost in a comedy, only the seamen's part a little too tedious. Thence
home, and there to my chamber, and do begin anew to bind myself to
keep my old vows, and among the rest not to see a play till Christmas
but once in every other week, and have laid aside L10, which is to be
lost to the poor, if I do. This I hope in God will bind me, for I do find
myself mightily wronged in my reputation, and indeed in my purse and
business, by my late following of my pleasure for so long time as I
have done. So to supper and then to bed. This day Mr. Chichly told me,
with a seeming trouble, that the House have stopped his son Jack (Sir
John) his going to France, that he may be a witness against my Lord
Sandwich: which do trouble me, though he can, I think, say little.

14th. At the office close all the morning. At noon, all my clerks with
me to dinner, to a venison pasty; and there comes Creed, and dined
with me, and he tells me how high the Lords were in the Lords' House
about the business of the Chancellor, and that they are not yet agreed to
impeach him. After dinner, he and I, and my wife and girl, the latter

two to their tailor's, and he and I to the Committee of the Treasury,
where I had a hearing, but can get